Embers in the snow
by Fiera-Rain-Hathaway
Summary: Princess Rose is the embodiment of fire; a warrior whose loyalty knows no bounds while Prince Dimitri symbolizes ice; a chivalrous king whose nobility is well known. Two different forces of nature, two different personalities bound together in a marriage arranged for the benefit of their kingdoms. Will their union destroy or strengthen them enough to defeat their enemies?
1. The Lohan Princess

**Hey! :)  
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**This is a re-write of Embers in the Snow. Hopefully you all enjoy this version of the story. Please do read or at least skim through the new chapters because I've made a lot of changes. New characters, new dialogues and new plotlines have been added :)**

**I sincerely hope you like this because I love this version of the story :p**

**So, _backdrop:_ It's set in a modern world ruled by kings. Imagine our present day world without any form of elected government but with aristocratic rule. The aristocracy, in many ways, are a blend of old and are many archaic laws prevalent like the system of arranged marriage, betrothals,multiple marriages for kings and so on.**

**Set in Alternate Universe, all human and pure Romitri.**

**DISCLAIMER: All the characters are owned by Richelle Mead**

**Enjoy :D**

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_**Rose...**_

My footsteps echoed through the narrow alleyway as I walked on the cobbled path. It was strangely quiet here, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

I welcomed the tranquility, for it was so hard to come by these days.

Especially if you were the princess of a nation.

Oh, it does have it's perks. But nothing like what they show you in Disney movies. Being a princess does not mean twirling around in beautiful gowns, singing to your heart's content and generally leading a blissful life.

Or at least, it does not mean that for me.

Being a princess is so much more.

It means responsibility, honor and above all, an unflinching devotion to my duty.

But I have to agree with the movies on one aspect. They did manage to get one thing right.

Slipping away from the guards and exploring on your own is always one hell of an adventure.

Did I mention? Slipping away is the hardest part.

It hadn't been easy to dodge the head guard, Mason and the other guards that my father had assigned to me. Yes, as a princess and a member of the royal family ruling over the country of _Loha_, my safety and security is a matter of importance but assigning six guardians to watch over a twenty year old is just absurd.

Especially if the said twenty year old is a trained soldier herself, having practiced with the soldiers since the age of ten.

Everyday, I thank my lucky stars that my father had assigned just six guards to watch over me. He'd wanted a dozen but I hadn't given in.

But today, dodging those six guards had been tough. After a meeting with the Commander of the Lohan army, they've been extra alert. One of these days, I'll have to find out the reason.

I wouldn't have been bothered by the extra security if not for my weekly visits to the city.

My city, the capital of Loha.

Aptly named _Devagiri,_ meaning the "Abode of Gods", the city is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. _Loha,_ on the whole, is a beautiful country. And I'm not just saying that because it is my country. It's a widely acknowledged fact.

Devagiri is the epicenter of Lohan beauty.

It's my job to preserve that beauty; to look after my citizens.

It's important to oversee the development work and to make sure the needs of the citizens are met. Just passing laws and designing welfare schemes aren't enough. The implementation must be ensured.

Hence my weekly visits.

I never visited them as their princess, of course. Each week, I dressed as a commoner and escaped the Palace grounds to roam the city.

My father wouldn't be happy if he ever found out about my visits. He worries enough about me as it is.

My father, King Ibrahim Mazur, is fair and just; always striving to ensure that the citizens aren't left wanting for more. That's what he's always taught me. To treat one's subjects as one's children.

_They come first. _

It's the Mazur family motto.

I'm merely following what he'd taught me.

Most of the time, my tour of the city would be uneventful. I use the opportunity to clear my head and soak in the beauty of the city. But sometimes, these visits would be damn interesting.

Seems like today would be one of those rare 'interesting' days, judging from the sudden disruption of my peaceful surroundings.

A high pitched scream pierced the air, following by several raised voices. Drawing my scarf closer around me, I hurried past buildings and turned a corner, only to come to a standstill.

A young girl lay on the ground with a thickset man standing above her. It was obvious that he'd just pushed her down. Another man stood to the aside, attempting to pacify the burly man who raged and shouted at the fallen girl. As I watched, he pulled her up and shook her before slapping her hard.

A wave of anger rose within me.

Ignoring the people gathering around curiously, I went up to the young girl and helped her up, checking her for wounds. Satisfied that she wasn't seriously injured, I turned and glared at the man.

I was in jeans and T-shirt with a scarf wrapped around my head so that only my eyes were visible. It concealed my identity, yes, but it made me look ridiculous.

Which is why I added an extra dose of anger behind my glare.

Being my strict mother's only daughter, I'd inherited her fierce glare. It came as no surprise to me when the burly man took a step away at the sight of my glare.

"What's going on here?" I asked gruffly.

Unfortunately, he seemed to recover his wits. "That's no business of yours, kid. Leave now. It's a family matter."

"Family matter?" I scoffed, ignoring the uncomfortable feeling of speaking from behind a cloth. "You've brought your _family matter_ to the streets, sir. And that makes it my business."

"I'm telling you girlie, go away!"

I ignored me and turned to the girl again. "Did he hurt you?"

The girl looked stricken at being addressed. She started fidgeting and didn't answer.

"What did you do to her?" I asked the man, barely suppressing the anger roaring inside me.

"Look, miss. I'm not going to tell-"

I turned to the crowd gathered around us. "Listen to him! He pushes a girl onto the streets in broad daylight and tells us it's not our business. We all saw him slap the girl. No one abuses a woman in Loha! No one!"

Lohan tradition and culture gives a high status for womankind. Females are revered and respected. No Lohan can tolerate the abuse of a woman.

Which is why the crowd started shouting at the man to explain himself. Satisfied, I stood beside the shaking girl and narrowed my eyes at the man, daring him to not say anything.

He caved into the crowd's demand. "All right, all right!"

"She cheated on me!" he pointed at the girl next to me. "She cheated! I found her on our bed with another man!"

I grimaced.

The crowd grew silent before turning accusing eyes on the girl. If there's something the Lohans absolutely hate, it's disloyalty. In a matter of seconds, the crowd went from supporting the trembling girl beside me to looking at her in disdain.

"What's wrong with you all?" I shouted, looking at the people gathered. "Yes, unfaithfulness is a sin but so is abuse. In fact, abuse is a lot worse than disloyalty."

"She made her mistake and she should pay for it!" The burly man bellowed.

"How do you intent to pay her back?" I asked coldly. "By beating her up? What sort of Lohan beats up a woman?"

The crowd made agreeing noises, convinced by my words. The man, realizing that the he'd get into trouble, tried to run. But the people didn't allow him. A few men in the crowd came forward to restrain him as one of them whipped up his mobile phone to contact the police.

The police.

Oh shit!

I had to escape before they arrived. They'd surely recognize me.

But I had to make sure the girl would be okay.

"Are you going to be alright?" I asked the girl gently.

She nodded, mustering a small smile for me.

Patting her shoulder, I weaved through the crowd and walked away before the police could arrive at the scene.

As I walked, I pulled out my own mobile phone. Fourteen missed calls?

One was from my mother.

I was in trouble..._deep trouble!_

Quickly, I dialed Mason's number, asking him to send a chopper to the Drupa Military base. I was close to the base and was confident I'd make it there before the chopper arrived.

The only reason I'd asked for a chopper was that I'd wandered to the part of the city dead opposite to the Royal Palace. And I had to reach the Palace soon, if fourteen missed calls were any indication.

Fifteen minutes later, I was in the Royal helicopter. Ignoring Mason's questions, I tried to make myself look presentable by combing my hair and wiping my face with a towel. Once I shrugged on a jacket, I settled into my seat and looked out of the window, fascinated as usual by the aerial view of the city.

From the helicopter, I could glimpse the far off _Meru _mountain range, outside the city limit, with its peaks almost touching the clouds. The river _Treva, _which originates in the Meru mountains, flows down the mountain range, forming a waterfall. Then, the river flows through the city before moving further west and joining the ocean. Devagiri is bound to the west and south by Meru mountain range, with _Farishta _forest in the north and the east.

Devagiri is a well developed and a well planned city. Trees grow along the broad sidewalks, providing relief from the sun rays during summer. Gardens are maintained in each part of the city. The banks of the river Treva, which flows through the city, is almost always full, gushing along with force, creating translucent vapors above the surface of the water. The smell of flowers, sunshine and wood-smoke is typical in Devagiri. In winter, with heavy fog and mist, it would look as if the clouds have descended, making the city look more heavenly than usual. For me, it was heaven on earth._ My home._

We reached the palace grounds in about five minutes. I jumped down from the chopper, taking a deep breath of fresh air. Swiftly, Mason and I made our way to the palace entrance only to be greeted by my best friend Vasilisa Dragomir.

Mia Rinaldi, another one of my friends, was with her. She was grinning while Vasilisa, or Lissa as she insisted on being called, wore a subdued expression.

"What's going on?" I asked as I approached them.

"King Mazur just finished the Court session," Lissa said, still not smiling. "He had an important announcement to make. He wished us to inform you about it."

"Well?" I questioned impatiently.

Lissa's behavior was putting me on the edge. My best friend, Lady Vasilisa Dragomir, was known for her gentle disposition. She was almost always smiling. Her grim expression alerted me to the fact that something was wrong.

"Nothing to worry about, Rose." Mia replied, shooting Lissa a look. "We called you many times. When you didn't pick up, we figured you'd be busy training. But we couldn't wait to tell you that-"

"Lets go over to the gardens, shall we? We can talk there." Lissa said, interrupting Mia.

I narrowed my eyes at both of them but led the way to my car, intent on reaching the Royal garden quickly to find out what they wanted to talk to me about. I'm a curious person as well as an impatient one. This combination isn't ideal for a princess, of course. But I'm rather good at slamming on my princess mask and acting like a picture of serenity when required.

Mason sent Ray and Alok, two of my guards with me, instructing them to stay outside the garden. He knew when he had to leave me be.

After a quick word with my driver, I followed Lissa and Mia into my Mercedes Benz which my dad gifted me for my eighteenth birthday. Our destination, The Royal garden, also called _Madhuwan_, is the pride and joy of my mother, Queen Janine Mazur. It's beautifully structured, filled with a vast variety of flowering plants of all shapes and sizes and colors, typical for a tropical country like mine. Here, in _Loha_, we have an abundance of natural wealth. Trade flourishes in this country, making it one of the most prosperous countries in the world. There is no scarcity of food and water. Trade laws put in place by my family ensures that fair trade is conducted. All citizens are treated equally. _Loha_ is also quite high in human development index.

It was mainly due to my father's efforts. He does his best for the citizens. That's what he's always taught me: to treat one's subjects as one's children. That's what I, Princess Rose Mazur, believe.

It's the duty of the ruling class to ensure that their subjects are always taken care of.

Hence, _'they come first'_ morphed into the Mazur family motto. It's inscribed everywhere in the city, in Sanskrit: the language of the gods in my country and one of the most ancient languages in the world.

I let my eyes skim over these words etched into the arch at the entry of the garden.

The garden was fairly isolated, save for a few gardeners. I led the way through the marigold garden and arrived at the banks of the _Angara _lake. Coming to a stop in the shade of a banyan tree, I turned to face my friends, silently demanding answers.

"You wont believe it." Mia gushed. "When your father announced it, your mother almost cried of joy."

"Announced what?" I asked, unable to imagine my mother crying over anything.

"Your betrothal." Lissa said quietly.

_My betrothal? Marriage? _

I stood there, stupefied, as Mia went on to say something else. I couldn't hear her. Only one word echoed through my mind.

_Betrothal._

No, _no!_

I don't want to get married. I don't want to be sent off to some foreign country. I don't know how to be a wife!

All I knew was swords and warfare, not household duties.

Most importantly, I don't want to married to some stranger who would, more likely than not, cut off my freedom and confine me to the Palace. Or keep me as a trophy wife. Now, I have no illusions of finding my true love and all that crap. No. I knew I'd have to marry one day. But I'd figured that 'one day' was in the future. At lease five to six years in the future. At twenty one, I believed I was safe from being married off. Apparently not.

"To whom?" I asked, my voice sounding bleak to my own ears. I needed to know who was to be my _future husband._

"Dimitri Belikov," came the reply. "King Dimitri Belikov of Russovia."

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**AN:**** How was it? Did you like it? Leave me a review and let me know :)  
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	2. A glimpse of the past

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**Surprised to see all chapters deleted? Have no fear! They'll soon be uploaded but beware, there are a LOT of changes! :D**

**Okay, I'm done with this pompous declaration. Yes, I'm back and yes, everything has changed. My old readers, I strongly advise you to read the new chapters. Even if you feel it's familiar, trust me when I say that there are a lot of changes. Not just dialogues but characters and plots. It is not the same! **

**The first part of this chapter doesn't have many changes but later on, entire chapters have been re-written so you might want to read it to avoid confusion :)**

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**Previously:**

_"To whom?" I asked, my voice sounding bleak to my own ears. I needed to know who was to be my future husband._

_"Dimitri Belikov," came the reply. "King Dimitri Belikov of Russovia."_

* * *

**FOURTEEN YEARS AGO**

Nine year old Prince of Russovia, Dimitri Belikov, wished to be back in his room, reading one of his mother's precious western novels rather than attend his friend, Christian Ozera's birthday party.

Dimitri did not like parties.

He didn't like faking smiles at strangers, trying to look as if he was honestly enjoying himself.

He didn't like faking anything. He always tried his best to be truthful, something his wise old grandmother had ingrained into him.

But his father repeatedly stressed the importance of parties for kings. According to him, it was a chance to make and strengthen alliances, socialize with other kings and try to keep yourself updated about the current political scenario.

Even at the age of nine, Dimitri took his duties seriously, trying his best to learn all that he could about being a king from his father.

He was already a good fighter, trained in archery and sword fight.

He didn't complain when his father took him to the long and boring Council meetings, despite his mother's protests that he was too young. He also didn't complain when his tutor forced him to memorize the names of all ruling families of all the countries. He knew it would contribute to making him a good king that he wished to be, just like his father.

So yes, Dimitri was a young boy who was very mature for his age.

But that didn't mean he wasn't still young.

He didn't throw tantrums. Oh, no. He wouldn't do that.

But what he _would_ do was carefully plan his way out of tricky situations.

And being bored was definitely a tricky situation because he knew his parents would surely not let him escape the party.

If he could just find a way to alleviate the boredom...

"Mitya," his mother sighed as she walked over to where her son stood observing all the guests. "Go and mingle with others. Don't stand in a corner and sulk."

"I'm not sulking, mamma." Dimitri said indignantly.

Olena smiled. "Of course, you aren't sulking. You don't even mind the fact that neither of your sisters is here with you. Nor Ivan."

Dimitri smiled slightly at how well his mother knew him. "Okay. I'll socialize."

He just said that for his mother's satisfaction. Frankly, he didn't know whom to talk to. There were several boys his age but none that he knew well. Despite his father's insistence, Dimitri didn't like mingling with strangers. Or, near strangers.

He was close to Christian, yes, but the latter appeared to be busy with a little girl with platinum blond hair.

Sighing, Dimitri made his way over to the sofa situated in the opposite corner of the room, belatedly realizing that it was occupied by a young, brown-haired girl who looked just as bored as he felt.

With her dark hair and skin the color of the inside of an almost, the girl looked like a Lohan, the very country that was his host tonight.

Maybe he could talk to her, find out more about this country which appeared to be so different from his own.

With his mind made up now, Dimitri approached her, not knowing what impact this pretty little Lohan girl would have on him.

* * *

Seven year old princess of Loha, Rose Mazur pouted as she watched her best friend, Lissa, play with Christian Ozera.

It was Christian's eighth birthday and the Ozeras had organized a grand party for their only son. Christian's mother, Lady Moira, was a cousin and close friend of Queen Janine Mazur, hence making Rose's presence in the party compulsory.

But little Rose wasn't enjoying herself like all other children her age.

She was bored.

For the hundredth time, she cursed her elder brother Neal for catching the cold. Both of them had been playing in the rain but she hadn't gotten sick, had she? No, it was all Neal's fault. She'd never before attended a party without him and was slowly discovering how unpleasant it could be.

Her cousin Eddie was busy with his friends and her best friend Lissa was playing with Christian. They seemed to have developed a strange fascination to each other and that bothered Rose.

A lot.

You see, Rose didn't like Christian. Even though Rose and Christian knew each other since their diaper days, they often clashed with each other.

It had all started when Christian had snatched away her toy sword, declaring that princess don't play with swords. Even at a tender age of five, Rose had been a spit-fire. She'd thrown her book at him in anger, calling him a name she'd heard her father use before. From then on, their relationship had consisted only of bickering and playing pranks on each other.

So no, Rose wasn't going to go anywhere near that boy.

Sitting in one corner of the room, on a rather uncomfortable sofa, Rose surveyed her surrounding, looking for ways to escape this party.

It had to be done without alerting her mother. Her father was alright; he wouldn't punish her if he caught his little girl sneaking away. But her mother...she wouldn't be happy at all.

Rose sighed, swinging her legs and crossing her arms.

She was _awfully_ bored.

She was beginning to contemplate the idea of joining her maids, though they were boring as well. Maybe she could go to the kitchen-

Her scheming was cut off when a young, brown haired boy joined her on the sofa.

"Hello," the boy greeted her politely. "Do you mind if I sit here?"

"No." Rose replied, smiling curiously at him. She deduced that he was close to her age, maybe a couple of years older than her.

The boy smiled back, showing his dimples before extending his hand to her.

Rose shook his hand, still eyeing him curiously.

"My name is Dimitri Belikov." He said as an introduction.

"Rose Mazur." Rose stated with dignity, just the way her mother had taught her.

"Princess of Loha?" Dimitri asked.

"Yes." She replied, surprised. He didn't look like a Lohan, as far as she could tell. Sure, he had dark hair and dark eyes which were typical for a Lohan but there was something about his face structure that told her that he wasn't from her country. "How did you know that?"

"My tutor insists that I learn the names of all the royal families." He said, sighing slightly.

Rose nodded sympathetically. "My tutor makes me learn stuff like the names of all rivers in my country and the names of all crop plants and which seasons they grow in."

The tone in which she said this made Dimitri laugh. "They are the worst, aren't they?"

Rose nodded vigorously.

It really was horrible. She was convinced that her tutor, Stan Alto, was the devil in disguise. He was always mean to her, even when she did nothing wrong.

"Which country are you from?" Rose asked, wondering if he was a prince or a son of one of the ministers. Being the minister in-charge of home affairs, Lucas Ozera was a well connected man with close ties with diplomats from foreign nations.

"Russovia," Dimitri said, smiling. "I'm the prince of Russovia."

"Does it snow there?" Rose asked immediately, having heard that Russovia was a cold country with snow fall seasons.

Dimitri grinned. "Yes, it does."

"Wow." Rose had always wanted to play in the snow. Pictures of building a snowman, skiing and snow fights had always captivated her. Hers was a tropical country so she'd never known snow. Even though some northern parts of her kingdom received snowfall in winters, the capital of Loha, where the royal family lived, never experienced snow fall.

"It's nice." Dimitri explained, catching her fascination. "During winters, we have a lot of fun. But it gets too cold at times. Also, we have road blocks when it snows too much. Sometimes, we cannot leave the palace at all."

Rose's excitement dimmed, imagining being confined to the palace. She knew she'd be bored out of her mind. She'd always been an outdoors type of girl; a fact that her mother hated.

"Tell me more!" Rose pressed, wanting to judge for herself if she'd enjoy the snowfall or not.

Dimitri promptly launched into a tale detailing one of his snow ball fights with his sisters and his best friend Ivan.

Conversation flowed freely between the two, as though they'd been friends for years. Rose laughed and smiled the whole evening, happy in the company of her new friend, Prince Dimitri. She told him all about her life, her friends and her fights with Christian and her brother Neal. In turn, he told her many stories about his siblings.

He even helped her sneak outside Ozera family manor when she'd declared that the party was too stuffy.

Together, they played under stars, passing the evening in laughter and stories.

* * *

Inside the manor, Janine and Olena smiled at each other as they watched their children bonding. Catching her husband's eye, Janine nodded before leading Olena away from the window and towards Lord Ozera's study.

There, King Ibrahim and King Feodor - Dimitri's father, signed a pact.

A pact intertwining the lives of Princess Rose of Loha and Prince Dimitri of Russovia, for better or for worse.

* * *

**PRESENT TIME**

**Rose..**

"Why?" I asked my father quietly as we walked aimlessly through the corridors of the palace.

King Abe Mazur, known for his double edged personality, sighed as he lightly stroked his beard, eyes fixed straight ahead. Gone was his usual flamboyant attitude, leaving behind a weary man that I hardly recognized.

It was good change, I realized as I tried to rein in my emotions. Talking to my father was easy when he lost his usual attitude. I was not up to the usual bickering that was so common between us.

My head felt heavy, still reeling with the weight of the proclamation.

Betrothal.

Marriage.

_Dimitri Belikov._

"This marriage is for the best," was all that Dad said.

I clenched my fists. "Oh?"

He seemed to recognize the dangerous lilt in my voice, for he glanced over to scan my face. "You're angry."

"No shit, Sherlock."

"Language," he chided halfheartedly.

"What?" I asked him defensively. "Don't turn into a male version of mom, please."

Abe looked amused. "Don't let Janine hear you say that."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not eager to hear an earful, Dad." Swallowing, I turned away from him. "She must be so happy with this."

Abe sighed. "She is. But that's not what's important."

Without warning, he halted before a large window and turned to me. "Why aren't you? Happy, I mean."

I glared at him. "Are you seriously asking me that?"

He fixed his steely gaze on me. "Yes, I am. Dimitri Belikov is the most eligible bachelor in the world. He's the youngest monarch but he's one of the most successful ones. He's not been involved in a single scandal. Do you know how many women desire to marry him? How many kings want him to be their son in-law?"

"So let them have him," I shouted, giving up on any pretense of control by throwing up my hands. "I don't want to marry him. I don't want to marry anybody. I told you I wanted to wait until I was 23 at least."

"That's only two years away," was Abe's brilliant observation.

"I _don't_ want to marry!"

"Now, you're just being childish." Dad said, surveying his nails coolly. "You can't afford to wait for two years if you want a good husband."

I punched the wall in frustration, only to cry out the next second. _Damn! I think I broke my knuckles..._

Dad lifted an unsympathetic eyebrow. "Are you done with your little fit?"

I huffed but didn't resist when he led me to a nearby bench. "Rose, listen carefully to what I have to say."

I resisted the urge to poke my tongue out at him, mainly because he was the only one who'd ever bother to give me an explanation, with the only exception being my elder brother, Neal. But he was off in an training camp, hundreds of miles away from this nonsense.

"There isn't and there never will be any other proposal better than this one." Dad said firmly, looking me in the eye. "Belikovs are a wonderful family. Dimitri Belikov is a great man. He hasn't had a single affair, not even a lover. He treats women with respect and honor. I couldn't have asked for a better match for my daughter."

"Proposal?" I asked, grabbing one word from his speech and ignored the rest. "Did they ask for this marriage alliance or did you?"

"It isn't like that," Abe said quietly. "This marriage had been arranged long ago."

"What?" I jumped up from the bench to glare down at him. "Long ago?"

"Rose..." Abe started, standing up too.

I held up my hand to stop him, not caring that I was disrespecting the king himself. "How long ago, Abe?"

"When you were seven."

I gaped at him silently, a storm brewing within me.

_My marriage was decided when I was seven? _

How could my own parents do this to me? Didn't they care enough about me to give me freedom to choose who I'll be spending my life with?

The answer came to me in a flash.

They did this for Loha.

To strengthen my country.

I had to admit, it was a good deal - this betrothal. Loha and Russovia were two of the most prosperous countries in the world. Bringing them together was to unify those powers, making both the rulers and the land more powerful.

I had no right to be complaining. My country's prosperity should be enough of a reason for me to marry Dimitri.

But what about _me_? I was being told to sacrifice my choice, possibly my happiness...maybe my whole life in order to secure my country's future. I knew I should do it. It was my duty, the welfare of my country my first thought.

It had always been that way and never before had I complained.

But this...I couldn't bring myself to be okay with this.

Being married meant an end to my freedom. To life as I knew it. No king treats his wife as a equal, with the exception of my own father. But that was because Lohan culture was such. No king would approve of his wife engaging in warfare or even self defense. Queens were rarely allowed to attend small meetings at the Court. I'd visited a fair few kingdoms myself and followed up on the news of many others. Nowhere is the Queen given so much freedom that she could take decisions on her own, or live her live the way she wants to. With the exception of a rare few, all that kings desire is to have a trophy wife, someone who looks good on their arm. In fact, kings were generally well known for their multiple marriages, affairs and wayward ways.

Abe seemed to be convinced that Dimitri was different. But how could he be sure? How could anyone be sure?

How can I be sure that the man to whom I was betrothed to was suitable for me?

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**AN: How was it? The last part's all new if you hadn't noticed...**

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	3. The Emperor of Russovia

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**Dimitri**

"Your Majesty?"

I looked up from the reports I'd been studying. Hans Gerard, the commander in chief of the Russovian army was standing outside the partially open door of my study.

"Come in, Hans."

He came in and stood before me, saluting me as he did so. I acknowledged it with a nod.

"Your Highness, the latest reports on the situation in Globola has come in," he said, bowing his head.

"Well?" I prompted, hoping for good news.

"The three infiltrators are dead, Your Grace. The operation was a success."

I nodded, relieved to hear that the twenty-four hour siege had come to an end.

"How many losses?" I asked cautiously.

Hans hesitated. "Nine dead, two gravely injured, Sire."

I resisted an urge to swear out loud. Nine of my soldiers were dead while battling the three militants who'd sneaked into the village of Globola.

The border problems had increased this month. It was as if our unfriendly neighbor country, Yavana, was trying its best to see how far I could be pushed. It didn't help that a militant group calling itself itself _traasa_ has been gaining momentum steadily in Russovia, despite our best efforts to quell it. These days, militants were being sent from the country of Yavana into Russovia to strengthen traasa.

"So far we've been taking a softer approach with Yavana," I said, standing up and walking over to the window. "Step up the defense at the borders. Contact our spies in that country. Promise them rewards: cash, land, anything they want if they can provide reliable information about Yavana's plans. As for traasa - alert all police station and advice them to increase surveillance for suspicious activities. Track down their base camps and raid them. We need to nip it in the bud before it becomes a disease that could affect the whole country."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Hans said with another salute.

On the way out, he stopped as if he'd just remembered something. Turning to face me, he said, "Congratulations, Your Grace."

I arched an eyebrow.

"On the announcement of the betrothal," he clarified.

The betrothal.

Yesterday, my mother had revealed that my father and King Ibrahim Mazur of Loha had signed a pact nearly fourteen years ago. According to it, I was betrothed to the princess of Loha, Rose Mazur.

_My mother leaned back on the sofa, eyes fixed on my face. _

_Waiting to see my reaction._

_Perhaps even excepting anger and refusal from my side._

_But there was none._

"_Okay," I nodded, my face carefully schooled to a neutral mask. Concealing one's emotions was one of the first lessons my father had drummed into me._

'_Emotions are for the weak,' he would say. 'You must be strong, Dimka. A leader must always be strong and never betray the tiniest hint of his emotions.'_

_While my mother had tried to tell me time and again that expressing your feelings didn't make you weak, I was glad to have learnt that lesson from my father._

_For, sometimes you could end up hurting others when you're caught up with your own emotions. _

_If mama knew what I was feeling at the moment, she'd only get hurt._

_But I had no way out of this. I had to agree for two reasons: One, to honor the agreement signed by my father and two, for the benefit of my country._

_I had to consent for the betrothal._

_It was my duty._

To be honest, marriage was the last thing on my mind. It would only inconvenience me, especially in the midst of these problems from Yavana and _traasa_. I had no time for a wife. I was in no a position to put in the effort needed to sustain a marriage.

Was it fair to drag a woman into this mess?

But my hands were tied.

I had to honor my father.

I would've preferred to keep the matter silent, away from the public eye. But my mother had no qualms in announcing my betrothal. She saw it as a cause for celebration and I did not have the heart to stop her.

Perhaps I'd not yet accepted my fate. I had not yet accepted that I would be married soon, to a stranger.

That wasn't strictly true, though.

I had met Rose Mazur before.

I'd been in awe of the fiery little girl I'd met in the Ozeras party years ago. But I couldn't bring myself to accept that I would soon be marrying her.

It was too much to process and I had no time to do so.

"Thank you." I told Hans, my tone hopefully warning him from pursuing the matter.

Understanding my unspoken command, Hans left quietly.

The double doors of my study had not even slid shut before they were thrown open in gusto.

"You're coming with me." Ivan, my best friend, announced as he strode into the room.

While barging in wasn't unusual for Ivan, there was something uncharacteristically serious about him at the moment. "I'm sorry?"

"You're coming with me," Ivan repeated strictly. "We're going on a drive."

"Where to?" I asked warily, not getting up from my chair.

Ivan was known to go to the extremes with his plans for my 'relaxation'. The last time he'd insisted on taking me on a drive, a notorious strip club that had been his destination. While I'd managed to prevent his diabolical plan from unfolding, I still shudder to think of what would have happened if I'd not found out about it in advance. The royal convoy in front of a strip club would never go unnoticed.

"I'm not taking you to a strip club," Ivan grumbled, knowing what I was thinking about. "Not this time." He added under his breath.

"Why don't you tell me where we are going?" I asked.

"Nowhere," he said, exasperated by my refusal. "We are just going on a drive. To talk."

I frowned. "Since when do you go out to _'talk'_?"

"Since now," he said, crossing his arms and tapping his feet rhythmically.

He seemed to be in a rare stubborn mood so I decided to humor him.

"You need to inform Hans," I told Ivan as we made our way to the entrance of the Palace. "I don't need a cavalcade following me."

Seeing that Ivan was about to argue, I continued, "If you want me to come with you, you need to call off the protection detail."

Ivan frowned. "I'm not risking your life."

I rolled my eyes. "Let's take one of the more inconspicuous cars so that no one will know it's me. But no protection detail."

I could see indecision on Ivan's face, his need to _talk_ to me warring with his need to keep me safe. Finally, he sighed. "Alright. No protection detail only because no one will know it's you in the car."

I smiled and ordered my valet to get my Honda City for us.

Ivan heaved an exaggerated sigh. "There you go again with you Honda obsession."

I shrugged, suppressing a smile.

When the car was brought to us, Ivan insisted on driving. Promising me the wheel for the return journey, Ivan rolled up the windows and started driving slowly. I relaxed back into my seat as we spend past the grounds of the Central Palace, exiting through the southern gates and into the Crescent Bay estate housing the royal family.

"You know," Ivan began, "Your grandfather had the right idea. Build a palace for every family member."

I chuckled. "Right idea? He did it so that he could keep his three wives happy."

"Three palaces for three wives and two for this children," Ivan said as we passed Viktoria's palace. "Five palaces in addition to our Central Palace. If that doesn't say anything about Russovia's wealth, I don't know what does."

"It says about extravagant spending that my grandfather indulged in," I corrected.

Ivan smirked. "Yeah, yeah. But see how fitting the five palaces are for your family?"

"You know mama doesn't like it," I reminded him. "A palace for each of her children does not support her concept of an ideal home."

Each palace had its own grounds, situated at a distance of two miles from other palace. So, we were isolated in our homes, away from the rest of the family. My mother didn't like it but had adjusted to it over time.

The Crescent Bay, the estate where each of the five palaces were situated, stood immediately behind the Central Palace. An aerial view would show the five palaces forming a crescent shape over the central palace, hence the same. All the six palaces stood atop a hill, overlooking the capital city of _Magadha._

"You're lucky you lived in the same palace as your family while you were younger," Ivan said as we drove past the estate and into the highway leading to outskirts of the city. "I remember the time when all the palaces were occupied."

"Father used some as guest housing," I remembered. "The Central Palace is the only one that was not changed. It's always been used for administrative purposes."

The Central Palace had been built as an official headquarters, with large halls and meeting rooms. The army base camp was also situated on its grounds. Some parts of the palace were even open to the public.

The five residential palaces were for my family. I had the biggest one, on my mother's insistence. My mother and my sister Viktoria had palaces neighboring mine. My grandmother, Yeva, stayed with my mother. My younger half-brother Ruslan had one and the other palace was for eldest sister Karolina.

Karolina's first husband had expired nearly six years ago. My ten year old nephew, Paul, was their son. After her husband's death, she'd returned to Russovia with Paul. She'd then married my health minister, Amartya. One year old Zoya was his daughter.

Of course, this arrangement of palaces left out my sister Sonya. But she was the Queen of Attica, having married King Aison. While she did grumble about her lack of official residence here in Magadha, she knew she was more than welcome at any of our residences whenever she visited.

"Thinking about your bride to be?" Ivan asked suddenly.

Thinking how far off he was from the mark, I snorted. It was a ridiculous statement.

"Don't snort at me, sir." Ivan admonished me. "It won't be long before she occupies all your thoughts. You'll even forget your friends and family."

"Is this what you wanted to talk to me about?" I asked him warily. "If yes, let me stop you right here."

"You just wait, Mitya." He teased. "It's impossible not to be bowled over by Princess Rose Mazur's beauty. Or her personality. I've heard that she's quite a firecracker."

"Ivan..." I groaned, my thoughts drifting to the seven year old Rose I'd met during Christian's birthday party. "Please stop."

"You're happy with this, aren't you?" Ivan turned serious, going so far as to peer at me in concern.

"Happy isn't the word I'd use," I told him frankly. "You know that. I'm not thrilled at the prospect of marrying a stranger."

"You've met her," Ivan reminded me.

"Yes," I acknowledged. "That was ages ago. We were just kids. I admit, she'd been good company. But, I can't possibly know how she is _now_."

"Point taken," Ivan said as he drove leisurely on the deserted roads of Crescent Bay estate. "So, what are your plans regarding this betrothal?"

I sighed. "I don't know. It's certainly a good alliance."

"Are you okay marrying a stranger though?"

"I'm not," I admitted. "I'm not comfortable with the idea of entering a deal blindly. But I have to, both for Russovia and to honor my father."

Ivan nodded slowly, letting me gather my thoughts.

"It's not nice to have my choice taken away-" I started but Ivan interrupted me.

"Maybe this arranged marriage thing is a blessing in disguise," he laughed. "You might have remained a bachelor for life if not for this betrothal."

"You're very funny," I said, deadpanned.

"I know I am," Ivan smirked. "You know, you just have to quit over-thinking it.

"You're right," I told him. "But I can't help but wonder if Rose can take up the immense responsibility that comes with being the empress of Russovia. What if we're not compatible at all? How do we spend the rest of our lives together if we even don't like each other?"

"Mitya," Ivan stopped me with a small chuckle. "While your fears may not be unfounded, there's no reason to hit the panic button yet. You'll be spending quite a lot of time in Loha with the princess. Get to know her. I'm sure she will be to your liking. If not, take up another wife."

The last part was meant to be a joke but I couldn't help but grimace. If there was one thing I'd promised myself, it was that I would never, ever take up a second wife. I'd seen what my father's second marriage had done to my mother, to my family. My father's second wife had passed away during child-birth but the doctors had been able to save my half-brother Ruslan. While we never held Ruslan accountable for it, he was a symbol that my father's affections had strayed from my mother. She'd been devastated, left alone by my father and it wasn't something I'd want to inflict on anyone.

Moreover, second marriages were fundamentally wrong. It would never be right, even if it was for the sake of forging alliances. A woman should never be made to feel as if she's second best, living in a constant state of insecurity and be made to feel inferior to her husband's second wife.

"You know I'd never do that, Ivan."

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Ivan reversed the car and eased it into the road leading back to the Central Palace. "Shall we go and take care of Trishnoy port problem? You do know that the good prime minister has been waiting for you to look into it?"

I nodded. "While I'm away in Loha-" I hesitated. "You keep me updated. Got it?"

"Yes, sir, yes!"

"You're not to take matters into your own hands."

"Chill," Ivan said with a grin. "You're going to Loha next month. There's plenty of time to work out the details."

"I'm coming back the moment I find out you took some irrational decision," I warned him.

Ivan rolled his eyes. "Relax, man. You just concentrate on Rose."

* * *

**Third person POV**

Gregory was nervous. Today was the day he would officially join _Traasa_. He'd worked hard to achieve it. It was his dream. Finally he was doing something worthwhile with his life.

The meeting was held deep within the jungles of Russovia. Only the chosen ones knew the destination. It was a very carefully guarded secret, one that had the power to destroy all of them.

Gregory felt a sense of pride as he stood in line with the other _traasa _recruits in a forest clearing. The recruits of this season stood in ranks, straight backed and proud, awaiting instruction from the leaders.

There were three leaders in traasa, three who were nothing short of gods in the eyes of Gregory.

The leaders stood on a large rock, surveying the newbies with a keen eye.

All three leaders wore the sacred scarlet robes with masks covering their faces.

The one standing in the middle stepped forward.

"Welcome, initiates," he said in a booming voice that startled Gregory. "You all are here by the grace of god and your hard work. You are here to fulfill your duty to your country. You are here to noble work. _Avasha kakudha_!"

In unison, all the recruits and the other two elders raised their right arm in front of them and said in unison _"Avasha kakudha!"_

"Each of you have to prove your merit to us," the leader continued. "Only then will you be eligible for the supreme sacrifice asked of you. Only then can you serve the country! Free this country from the clutches of aristocracy."

Gregory felt an overwhelming need to prove himself right then. This is what he'd always wanted.

"No life is more important than our cause," said the leader. "Are you all prepared to sacrifice your life?"

All the initiates cheered with great enthusiasm.

Oh yes, Gregory was ready. Ready to destroy anyone and anything that stood in the way of freeing Russovia.

* * *

**AN: So, Dimitri has been introduced and so has the threat to his country. While nothing really happens in this chapter, my long time readers may note that the dialogues have been completely altered. Brace yourself for more drastic changes :p**

**Leave me a review and let me know what you thought of this chapter :)**


	4. The Mazurs

**Hi! Thanks for all the reviews, follows and favorites. It's much appreciated! :)**

**This is a completely new chapter, not part of the old version. It's a detailed introduction to Rose's family with a dashing new character. Enjoy :)**

* * *

**Rose...**

"Eddie, have you seen Rose?" My mother, Janine Mazur's voice reached to where I was crouching behind a large, antique vase.

"No, Aunt Janine," came my cousin Eddie's level voice. "I've not seen her since yesterday."

I heard a small huff from my mother and sound of footsteps. Hastily, I drew further into the shadow behind the vase, hoping she wouldn't discover me.

"I thought she'd be here," Mom said, her voice coming from my right, presumably near the door of the sitting room.

"I thought so too," Eddie admitted. "After the, uh...revelation yesterday, she'd want to talk to Neal."

_Yes, Eddie, I do want to talk to him._

But what could I do, with Neal being stuck on a state visit to the neighboring country of _Sharda?_

"Yes, she's been missing Neal." Mom said briskly as if she was commenting on the weather. "Lately, she's taken to spending time a lot of her time here. I wonder what she's up to."

Janine Mazur wasn't used to being kept in the dark. Nor was she used to being ignored, which was what I was doing.

I'd been avoiding her since yesterday, knowing fully well that she wanted to talk to me about the betrothal. There would be no words of consolation from her. Rather, it would just be a reminder of my duty and what was expected of me as the Princess of Loha.

Tough love.

But then again, Janine Mazur was nothing if not disciplined and strict.

"I wouldn't worry about that, Aunt." Eddie reassured my mother, as if he had no clue what I did here- at _the Chandra_, the official residence of my brother, Crown Prince Neal Mazur.

Peering around the huge vase, I could see my mother near the door like I'd assumed and Eddie in front of her, blocking her view of the vase I was hiding behind.

He knew I was here.

"If you see her-" Mom's voice started fading away as she walked out. "-tell her to come see me."

"Yes, Aunt Janine."

When the room slammed shut, I jumped up from behind the vase, dusting my jeans. "Whew! I though she'd never leave."

"Why am I not surprised to find you here?" Eddie asked rhetorically as he turned to face me.

My cousin, Edison Castile, was many things but not dumb. Despite not being a Mazur by name, he had all the characteristics of one. Being brought up by a bunch of Mazurs tended to do that to you.

"I need to finish the work before Neal gets back," I replied, moving towards my brother's workshop in the basement. "He'll kill me if he finds out I destroyed the Rafael."

"He's going to find out either way," Eddie noted sensibly as he followed me down the stairs. "He's not going to be fooled by your rendition of the famous painting."

Switching on the lights of the basement, I turned to face Eddie. The dim lights reflected off his blond hair, making it shine like gold. Despite sharing facial features, he looked nothing like me or Neal.

He was nothing like either of us too.

While Neal and I had a penchant for breaking the rules, Eddie was a stickler for them. Being my father's only sister's son, Eddie had it tougher than we did. His father left my aunt when Eddie was just a baby, prompting my aunt to move back into the Mazur household. He was forbidden from taking on the Mazur name though, what with it being the ruling clan and all. He had to stick to his father's family name despite not wanting to.

The constant judgement from others drove Eddie to prove himself, so much that he never really had a chance to enjoy his life. He was forced to grow up soon, taking on duties as a soldier serving the Crown. Despite being a member of the Royal family, he never acted like one.

He was tough and strict but he had the heart of gold.

"What's your plan then?" Eddie asked as he came to stand next to me, facing the canvas that held a partial imitation of the famous Rafael painting.

A painting I was in the process of finishing.

I've never had enough patience for art and would never paint anything of my own free will. But Neal was crazy about it. He loved to paint. And being his younger sister meant he'd dragged me to all his art classes, forcing me to paint when he did. But I got to drag him to archery practices that he hated, so it was a fair trade.

"My plan?" I picked up the brush and dipped it in water, flicking away the excess water. "It's simple enough. I'll have this ready by tomorrow and then start on the process of aging it to make it look authentic. Neal's taught me enough about it. I can pull this off."

"But has he taught you enough that you can succeed in fooling him?" Eddie asked skeptically.

I just shrugged, concentrating on my painting.

"Do you-?" Eddie cleared his throat and started again. "Do you want to talk about it?"

I paused. I knew what the 'it' was.

My betrothal.

"No." I said firmly without looking at him.

I saw Eddie nod from my periphery. This is what I'd always loved about Eddie. He would never push me to talk.

"What do you think?" I asked Eddie, changing the topic by pointing at my painting. "Does it look real?"

"To me, it does." Eddie confessed. "But I don't know if it's enough to fool Neal."

"Let's hope it is," I murmured, trying to discern any detail in my painting that wasn't in the original one.

"Why don't you just tell him the truth?" Eddie asked curiously.

I sighed. "Yeah, that will be awesome. _'Hey, Neal! You know what? While you were away in Sharda, I just so happened to destroy your priceless Rafael. Oops!'_ He'll kill me."

Eddie laughed. "You're being dramatic. He never yells at you for anything, no matter what you do"

"He doesn't," I admitted. "But you know what he does? He gets back at me."

"Like a typical Mazur," Eddie said, shaking his head.

Before I could say anything, loud music reached my ears.

_What on earth? _

_The Chandra_ was supposed to be deserted, save for Eddie and I. Who then would have the audacity to not only barge into Neal's suite but also play music so loudly?

It couldn't be my mother and it sure as hell wouldn't be my father.

Which meant...an intruder?

Exchanging a look, Eddie and I ran up the stairs and into the drawing room from where the music seemed to be coming from.

Eddie pushed open the room and ran inside with me right behind him. But we both stopped short at the sight that met us.

Neal's suite were off limits to anyone except family. And standing before us was the one person who grossly abused that privilege.

_Madhri._

Eddie's wife, Madhri. A sorry excuse for_ family._

With her arms held afloat like a ballerina, she looked quite ridiculous.

But then again, what was new in that?

If I was meeting her for the first time, I'd say she was pretty, with her long, light brown hair hanging down her back in straight waves. The blue eyes looked innocent, guileless.

In reality, she was anything but.

Having been married off to Eddie due to an old settlement between their fathers, Madhri was not content being restricted to one man. Flimsy gowns, seductive smile and innocent charm were her weapons of choice, unrestrained by the thought of shaming her family. Mom and Dad had long since given up trying to tame her and had adjusted to having her around.

But not me.

I hated her more than I've ever hated anyone. I firmly believed that Eddie deserved better, that he shouldn't have to put up with her. After everything he'd been through, he deserved someone to stand by him through everything.

He'd even found that one woman.

Jill Mastrano, daughter of the Court dancer Emily Mastrano.

But Eddie - honest, upstanding and righteous Eddie - refused to take things forward with Jill. He would never cheat on Madhri, no matter what she did. So, there was only one way forward.

A second marriage.

I loathed the very idea of a man taking up a second wife and supporting Eddie and Jill would mean supporting the institution of multiple marriage.

Till date, I was conflicted on what to do about Eddie and Jill but Neal had no qualms on that regard. He was always egging on Eddie, urging him to do something about his relationship with Jill.

Eddie would be happier. Infinitely more happier.

At the sight of Madhri, Eddie's shoulder slumped in defeat, his eyes showing the amount of exasperation he felt.

But he rarely told her off.

So, I did what I always did - put a stop to her nonsense.

Striding over to the old gramophone Neal had an great attachment to, I switched off the music and turned to face Madhri with my arms crossed.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I asked her sternly.

"Listening to music," she said with a mocking smile. "Is it forbidden now?"

"Actually, it is." I replied in the same sugary tone. "You're not allowed here."

Madhri turned to Eddie with a pout. "Ed, tell her I can be here."

I rolled my eyes when Eddie shot me a pleading glance.

"Get out," I pointed to the door. "I don't have patience to deal with you right now."

"You know, Rose." Madhri started with a nasty smile. "I'm glad you're going to be married off. It'll save me the trouble of dealing with pests."

Her mentioning my betrothal was like adding fuel to the fire. All barbs and witty retorts flew out of the my head as the desire to punch this woman in front of me grew more powerful. She had no right, no right to-

"Relax," a soothing voice whispered in my ear as a warm hand loosened my clenched fists. "She's not worth it."

Instinctively, I jabbed my elbow at the person behind me, only to be blocked.

"Whoa, whoa!" Laughing blue eyes met mine, the eyes that looked infinitely much better on him than it did on Mom. "There's no need for violence, Firefly." My big brother, Neal Mazur himself, stood behind me, an amused grin stretched across a face I could only describe as 'devilish'. But all the other girls had a range of nicknames for him, ranging from Prince Charming to Hot Stuff to things that would make me vomit.

Women swooned over him, waiting for one smile, one smirk or just a glance. Honestly, I've never been able to understand what all the fuss was about. Sure, he's quite handsome but he didn't warrant that much attention. But no woman had ever agreed with me on that front.

Neal's features reflected mine in many aspects and I never failed to remind him that it was his saving grace. We've even been mistaken for twins on multiple occasions.

"Don't call me that," I warned him, though the effect was somewhat neutralized by the big grin I could feel stretching across my face.

"Sure, sure." He sang, pulling me into a hug.

I relaxed for the first time in days, all the tension melting away now that I knew Neal was here. It was cheesy but he was my favorite person in the whole family. It was almost as if Neal Mazur was a mixture of a brother, mother and best friend rolled into one.

He always knew how to deal with me, no matter what.

Laid back and easy going by nature, he was the epitome of a con artist, sly like a fox. But he cared deeply for his people and was very protective, often over-protective about me.

And he despised Madhri.

A fact heavily influenced by the fact that she'd tried, multiple times, to seduce him.

Even now, as he looked at her, his eyes filled with disdain. She was, perhaps, the only person who could ever elicit such a reaction from him.

I smirked at Madhri whose eyes were fixed on Neal, "Run along now. Don't you have some poor guy's bed to warm?"

Saying that in front of Eddie was cruel but I couldn't help it. Besides, he was used to it by now.

Shooting me a glare, Madhri strode out, her lacy robes billowing behind her. Eddie sighed but turned to me apologetically. "I'm sorry about that, Rose."

"Don't be." Neal waved off his apology.

"We all know what she's like, Eddie." I reminded him sympathetically.

"Which is why you'd better hurry up and snatch up Jailbait." Neal smirked, referring to Jill.

"Not that again," Eddie groaned. "I'm going now. Nice to see you, Neal."

"You too, Ed." Neal said as the door slammed shut. "How are you, my little firefly?"

"Peachy," I groaned, laying my head on his shoulder and ignoring the idiotic nickname only because I had bigger things to deal with. "I suppose you heard, huh?"

Neal sighed, raking a hand through his hair as he led us to the sofa. "I did hear about it."

I nodded sullenly.

"You know I'm here," he reminded me gently.

"You can't do anything about this," I pointed out. "Dad's not budging."

"I hate that he's doing this to you," Neal said through gritted teeth.

"Did he-" I swallowed, then started again. "Did he tell you anything about it?"

"No," Neal said shortly. "He told me yesterday. That's why I came back. But Rose, there's more. He hasn't told you everything."

"Great!" I threw my hands up. "What's he done now?"

* * *

"What do you mean next month?" Lissa asked me in horror.

I sighed, sitting beside her.

We were in the _Nakshathra_, the part of Palace that belonged to me.

It was an isolated structure, not actually attached to the main palace.

_Nakshatra_ a two-storied structure, small and pretty. A brook flowed through my backyard, increasing the allure of the place. The ground floor consisted of the living room, guest bedrooms, bathrooms and a kitchen. The entire first floor was my bedroom with an adjacent bathroom and a wardrobe room. The second floor had a sitting room, a gym, theater room and an open balcony with a built-in swimming pool.

I had every comfort I'd ever need, right here in this building.

Currently, Lissa and I were in my living room. I'd just finished telling her everything that Neal had managed to find out from our parents.

She was just as shocked, if not more than me, to learn that Dimitri and his family would be here next month.

"But it's so soon!" She kept repeating it for the past five minutes.

"I know, Liss." I sighed, feeling defeated as I gazed out into the brook through the large, french windows in the room.

An odd sort of panic was building up within me, making me feverish. No amount of air-conditioning helped. I didn't want to have a meltdown but it was hard to come in terms with what I'd just learned.

I'd be married off to a stranger and taken to foreign lands. I'd be expected to fulfill all duties as a Queen, an Empress of a country I only knew vaguely about.

And what of _me_? My identity? My freedom?

"Does Abe know when the marriage is scheduled to happen?" Lissa asked.

"No," I replied automatically. It was like I was operating on an auto pilot. "There will be an engagement ceremony after the Belikovs arrive. The marriage date will be decided then."

"The engagement will be according to their tradition but marriage will be according to ours?" Lissa questioned, confirming what I'd already told her.

I nodded in answer.

"It'll be okay, you know." Lissa said quietly, squeezing my hand. "I've heard many people say that King Dimitri is a good man. I'm sure that if you just let him know your fears regarding the marriage, he'll prove that your apprehensions are misguided."

"Are they?" I asked in a whisper.

"You'll never know unless you talk to him about it." Lissa stated firmly, her inner psychologist coming through.

The Dragomirs had been healers for generations. Lissa had a degree in psychology but she didn't pursue it further. After the death of her parents, the responsibility of the entire Dragomir group of institutions had fallen on Lissa. Managing it was a full time task.

"Tell him what you expect from him," she continued then sighed, fixing me with a steely gaze. "It's all in your hands, Rose. You can either choose to sulk about this engagement, which won't get you anywhere, or you can step up and accept your responsibility, commit yourself to making this work."

I pondered over her statement before looking up at her. "What if he doesn't want to make this work, Liss? What if he's just agreed to marry me for the sake of the betrothal and he's secretly planning on meeting his mistresses behind my back?"

"You're too suspicious for you own good," Lissa noted.

I remained stubborn. "You can't deny that it's a possibility."

"I'm not denying it, Rose." Lissa insisted. "What I'm trying to say is that you need to keep an open mind. If he does turn out bad, you can break his bones and be done with it."

"I'll still be his wife then, won't I?" I said bitterly.

Lissa sighed. "There's nothing without trust, Rose. In relationships, the first thing is always trust. Then friendship. Only then is the possibility of love growing."

"You're wrong," I said, leaning back on my seat. "Trust is not what's most important. It's loyalty."

"Loyalty can be proved only if you give the relationship a chance," Lissa said wisely. "Besides, it could have been a lot worse. Not all kings have a such good reputation."

I shuddered, acknowledging that she was right. In the world of royalty, there were a lot of scumbags. Womanizers, power hungry rulers, cheaters or the ones who couldn't care less about their countries. This fact was actually the root cause of my hangups regarding marriage. A majority of kings took up a second or third wife while some preferred to have multiple affairs. It was almost as if the royal ladies were like dirt. They were all trophy wives, nothing more. Only a few queens, like my mother, were lucky enough to have power as well as their husbands' loyalty.

Both loyalty and power mattered to me. I needed power to ensure my freedom as well as help my subjects. I needed my husband's loyalty to have a happy and secure life. Moreover, I needed a loyal man because really, what's a person without loyalty?

I also had to acknowledge the fact that if I had to be married to someone, Dimitri probably was the most suitable one. He did have a pristine reputation, after all. But reputation wasn't always true.

I knew that Neal and Eddie would make sure the betrothal would be broken at the first sign of Dimitri being anything but a gentleman. Christian would most definitely help them. Hell, I'm sure Dad himself would break it off if he got the impression that I'd be less than happy with Dimitri.

Dimitri may be a good match for me or he may not be.

I'd just have to wait and see for myself.

* * *

**AN: Soooo, how was it? New chapter, guys, meaning reviews! :p**

**What did you think about Neal, Eddie and Madhri. Most of you knew her as Stephanie but it's Madhri now :)**

**Leave a review and let me know what you think :D**


	5. The first encounter

**I love you all! Truly, I do but I swear, all the "update soon"s are driving me crazy, mainly because I would love to update frequently but I cannot. Being a university graduate about to join work soon, I have a lot to do. To balance it out, I tend to watch Tv shows, mainly GoT and Friends. Any fans here?**

**Okay, back to the topic. Writing relaxes a lot of people but I find it a little draining. Plus, once I start writing, I can think of nothing else. I almost get obsessed with the story, which is bad when you have stuff to do. Hopefully you can understand the fact that I can't write as often as I wish to.**

**Thanks a lot for the reviews, follows and favorites. Also, note that Neal Mazur is based on Neal Caffrey from White Collar ;) Kudos to the one to guessed it :p**

**Enjoy the chapter :)**

* * *

_**Traasa**_

"State your name," a hard voice commanded.

Gregory swallowed nervously before answering, "Gregory, sir. Gregory Hamsak."

The man. sitting behind a desk in one of the many tents erected in the clearing of _Dhenu_ forest. nodded and wrote down something. Looking up, he scrutinized Gregory carefully.

"You'll be no good in combat," he commented.

Gregory felt indignation well up within him. All his life, he'd dreamed about fighting for his country, had practiced dueling techniques for hours. And now he was being told that he wouldn't be good in combat?

"There's no need for anger, soldier." The man behind the desk said strictly "If not fighting, you'll be useful somewhere else."

"I want to fight for Russovia," Gregory stated, mustering his courage.

"You will be," the man assured him with a twisted smile. "That's what _traasa_ is all about. Everyone does their bit. No work is lesser than the other."

Gregory nodded, feeling ashamed of himself.

"I think you can go into training to be a spy," the man said, eyeing Gregory speculatively.

"Yes, sir! Anything." Gregory replied promptly.

"We do need spies in the royal palace," the man continued. "God knows we lack them. We need spies even in Loha, what with that wretched king about to marry the Lohan princess."

"Won't the marriage strengthen those tyrant royals even more, sir?"

"Yes," the man smiled slightly. "Our leaders are already looking into it. They'll decide what to do with the king and the Lohan princess."

* * *

_**Rose...**_

"Lolita, bring in that scented perfume!"

"Where did you put Her Majesty's shoes? She needs them!"

"Is this gown okay, princess?"

"Hush, Megha. The princess will look better in a saree."

It was late afternoon but I was already done with the day.

I sat on a stool in front of my dressing table, listening to the maids' chatter around me. They were rather excited, to say the least. It was with unbounded enthusiasm that they were trying to get me ready to meet the Belikovs.

Unfortunately, the excitement wasn't restricted to the maids.

My family seemed to have caught the tizzy too.

My mother was supervising the maids, looking harried and increasingly ticked off. Lissa was arguing with the royal hair-stylist about my hairdo for the evening. Due to my mother's insistence, Madhri was here too, primping herself in the corner. Eddie was on the phone with the royal decorator, pausing every second to consult my mother. Neal and Dad were at the Palace, overseeing the arrangements made for the Belikovs.

Everyone had work to do, everyone except me.

I was bored, frustrated and exasperated. So much preparation to greet my future husband? The way I saw it, I shouldn't have to get ready. I should be allowed to stay in my usual attire. He shouldn't mind seeing me at my worst, right?

Besides, sitting idle had never been my cup of tea.

As though reading my mind, or perhaps just noting my expression, Lissa convinced Mom to let me leave the room for fifteen minutes.

Resisting the urge to whoop with joy and run out of the room, I stood up to hurry out of the room when Sydney - my personal assistant of sorts - entered with a worried expression on her face.

"Your Majesty?" She approached Mom warily, knowing that whatever news she had to deliver wouldn't be received well. "There's been a slight change in schedule."

"What do you mean?" Mom asked, frowning.

"Well," Sydney shot me a look. "The Belikovs have left for Loha already. They should be here in about four hours."

"What?" Mom's face tightened in frustration. "We're not ready yet! Why did they change the time?"

Sydney had no answer.

Under my mother's direction, the maids hastened to finish their chores, chattering excitedly. Eddie looked stressed, leaving the room to inform Dad. Lissa returned to her discussion with the hair stylist and Sydney, after giving me a small smile, took off to fetch the sari I was supposed to wear. Totally fed up, I walked towards the door briskly but stopped when my mother called out to me, "You must be back in half an hour, Rose."

"Yes, Ma'am." I saluted her mockingly, leaving the room before she could say anything else.

_One month._ One entire month had passed since Dad had announced the news of my betrothal.

One month of madness, fear and grudging acceptance.

For the last month, Dad had been teaching me about Russovia. I'd even been assigned the herculean task of learning the Russovian language, Raega. I hadn't put up a fight though. It was better to be prepared, in case the betrothal held and I ended up in Russovia. But I was against this drama of getting dressed up and faking happiness to see the Belikovs.

My mother wanted to present a picture perfect princess, complete with fake smiles and lowered eyes. But that wasn't who I was. Why did I have to pretend? Wasn't it cheating to give them a wrong impression?

They should be allowed to see me the way I was. If they didn't like what they saw, they should break the betrothal.

In fact, I'd have to do my damn best to show them the real Rose Mazur.

If _he_ didn't like it, too bad.

With that cheerful thought, I finally looked around to see where my feet had carried me.

I was at the stables.

Oh, well. A ride with my beloved horse should do me some good.

"Aruna?" I called, approaching my horse with some apples she loved. "Come on, love. We're going on a ride."

The word, _Aruna, _translated to "sunrise". Dad had chosen to name her so because of her rich golden brown coat.

Snorting happily, she ate her apples, allowing me to lead her out. Climbing up, I gently guided her on a trot, passing the green pasture fields next to the stables.

With the wind whipping on my face as Aruna sped up, I grinned involuntarily, reveling in the freedom that came with riding a horse or a bike, the latter being something I'd tried only once before.

We rode for a while before Aruna stopped at the banks of river Treva which cut through the north-western part of Palace grounds. I lay on the grass as Aruna sipped the water, not having the heart to ever get up.

The soft lull of the river and the cool breeze made me drowsy. Lazily, I decided that a nap wasn't going to destroy the world.

The next thing I knew was the light of the setting sun on my face.

Setting sun?

_Shit!_

The Belikovs must have already arrived.

I was in _so_ much trouble.

It was as if Mother Nature was plotting against me. First she made me sleepy, now she'd decided to unleash fiery winds to slow me down.

It'd been a windy day, yes, but the force seemed to have increased with the setting of the sun. Powerful windstorms carrying dry leaves and debris swept across the palace grounds, causing Aruna to squirm and shake her head rapidly, trying to clear her eyes. The dust in the wind must be from the sand pits used for sparring in the training center located nearby.

Aruna wasn't the only one irritated, though.

My hair, which I'd left free, danced in the wind, blowing over my face and covering my eyes. Brushing it away impatiently, I tried to steady my horse before she decided to unseat me. When she continued to trample around, I braced myself and jumped down to the ground beside her. With a fair bit of struggle, I held her still, running a hand along her mane to soothe her. Responding to me, Aruna calmed down and allowed me to blow dust from her eyes.

I had to lead her back to the stables. She couldn't stay out here.

As I walked forward with Aruna, dust started to settle gently, revealing a tall, dark figure few feet ahead of me.

Who'd be out here at this time?

The leaves fell down slowly, some of them settling on the stranger's shoulder length, dark brown hair. Some of that silky hair fell forward into his face. It was brushed back by long, graceful fingers. The face was handsome and chiseled, a hidden softness in those hard planes. With magnetic dark brown eyes and a body to put any Greek god to shame, this man before me radiated power.

Energy.

Royalty.

He stood a small step towards me, his walk graceful. His form fitting suit outlined a lean frame made of hard muscles, like a sleek and lean panther.

Sharp, dark eyes assessed me as I assessed him.

It was impossible not to recognize this stranger in front of me, this _hot_ stranger, even if I'd last seen him when he was nine. His eyes were still the same.

It was Dimitri Belikov, King of Russovia...my betrothed.

* * *

_**Dimitri..**_

"Mitya, brush your hair. It looks messy." My mother stated as she took in my appearance critically.

Suppressing the urge to sigh in defeat, I did as I was asked. She'd already insisted on straightening my suit and redoing the tie. As for brushing my hair - she'd already told me off four times for its messy state.

If my mother would have her way, my hair would never be so long. She'd never understood why I maintained my hair at shoulder length.

For me, the reason was simple enough. I'd dedicated my whole life to my duties, neglecting everything else in pursuit of being a good king. Everything I did was for my country, for my people. For their welfare.

What then was my identity?

Was it limited to being an emperor of an sovereign nation?

Often, I acted like it was. For me, nothing existed but my people.

But as my grandmother would remind me ever so often, I'd been _someone _before becoming a king.

A person who loved to read westerns, play an occasional game of pool and wanted to spend time with his family, with their welfare and comfort in mind.

I didn't want to lose sight of the man I was before becoming a king. Maintaining my hair at shoulder length, a rarity in the world of royals, reminded me that I was not just a king but also my own person.

"Mitya! Are you listening to me?" The annoyed voice of my younger sister, Viktoria, chimed through the plane.

"I'm sorry, _anuja. _You were saying?" Using the ancient raegan term for sister, _anuja_, was something Viktoria insisted on. But I'd never use the term save for the situations where I was trying to appease her.

"I was saying-" Viktoria said with exaggerated irritation. "-that I've heard so much about Loha and about Rose."

"Loha is a great country," I replied evasively, eyes fixed on my nephew, Paul, who'd insisted on accompanying us. It was he, my astute ten year old nephew who caught my deliberate slip-up.

"Princess Rose is great!" he said, with a note of finality in his voice.

Sensing our surprise, he elaborated, "When Mama said that Princess Rose would be my new aunt, I looked her up on Google."

"I did too," Viktoria confessed sheepishly.

"I trust you're happy with what you found?" Mama said with a knowing smile.

She received eager nods as replies.

"That may be-" I was interrupted by the pilot who announced that our jet would be landing in Devagiri, the Lohan capital city, in five minutes.

"I hope our early arrival doesn't offend them," Mama said, leaning back on her seat.

"We did inform them," I replied, distracted by Ivan's message. I'd strictly told him to send me updates ever hour.

I put my phone away when we landed, curious to see Loha. I'd met King Abe many times before and Neal Mazur was someone I considered a close friend, having spent a lot of time training with him. But I'd never before had the opportunity to visit their country.

Stepping out of the plane, my first impression of Loha was of a hill station with cool breeze and warm sun whose rays almost seemed caressing.

"It's beautiful," Viktoria whispered in awe.

"I'm glad you think so, My Lady." came a mischievous voice from behind the line of Lohan ministers who'd assembled to greet us.

As if on cue, the ministers parted to reveal someone I was very familiar with.

"Neal."

With a smile that could never loose its troublemaker edge, Neal Mazur strode towards us.

"Dimitri Belikov," he said, clasping my hand in a firm handshake. "I can't believe that you're really here, in Loha."

"You and me both," I said, smiling despite myself. There was always an aura around Neal that made you instantly comfortable, at ease. "Neal, meet my mother. Olena Belikova."

As Neal greeted my family, an elderly woman who I knew to be the Health Minister of Loha, welcomed me formally with a garland of flowers, as the Lohan tradition dictated.

After a round of greeting the ministers, including the Russovian ambassador to Loha - Yuri, we were led to a couple of limousines flanked by the Lohan Guard.

"Prince Mazur," Yuri called as Neal opened the door for Viktoria. "Don't you think King Belikov should take a chopper to the Palace?"

Neal grinned, his eyes twinkling. "Excellent suggestion, Yuri. Perhaps you can lead His Majesty into one?"

Yuri bowed and beckoned me over to the Lohan Air Force chopper that stood a little distance away. "Trust me, Your Majesty. Devagiri looks spectacular from the helicopter."

"I have no objections, Yuri." I climbed onto the chopper, watching the limousines drive away with my family. Nakul, the Lohan minister of Aviation joined us.

As the chopper ascended, I was glad to have heeded Yuri's words. Devagiri indeed looked heavenly from above. With lush greenery integrated so well into the city landscape, it was a place where man was truly at peace with nature.

"It looks beautiful, doesn't it?" Nakul smiled, noticing my fascination.

"Indeed." I replied, not taking my eyes off the sight below.

"Our princess loves the view too." Nakul stated as the Yuri grinned and nodded. "She insists on using the chopper almost all the time."

I nodded, smiling politely as the both of chuckled fondly.

It would be a lie if I said I hadn't speculated about my betrothed. I remembered the little girl I'd met ages ago. I liked her then, her company had gotten me through the otherwise dreadful evening. But of course, we'd been kids then. She could be nothing like the girl I'd known that day.

Tempted as I was to picture her as a female version of Neal Mazur, I knew enough to say that it wouldn't be an accurate portrayal of Rose. I'd heard about her, of course. Mostly in context of her beauty. Men swore they'd never seen anyone more beautiful, or more irresistible. Her rumored scorn for royal men was also a discussed topic. None of this mattered as much as the other thing Rose Mazur was well known for.

Her fiery personality.

As Ivan had said, she was nicknamed 'The Firecracker' among royals who'd never before encountered a royal female who spoke her mind. While I was all for female empowerment, I wasn't really sure if Rose Mazur was what an empress of Russovia should be.

Be that as it may, there was no denying the fact that Rose was well loved by her ministers. The occasional Lohan newspaper I'd seen in the past month usually featured Rose involved in activities of public interest. Lohans seemed to admire her greatly, a fact that almost came as a relief to me. For, the measure of a ruler is the amount of love he receives from his subjects.

"We're here," Nakul announced as the chopper descended.

"We're at the Palace grounds, Your Majesty." Yuri told me as we got down. "Come this way. His Majesty, Ibrahim Mazur is waiting for you."

The majestic golden Palace loomed over the grounds, quite close to the landing pad. King Ibrahim Mazur stood waiting with an entourage at the entrance.

An entourage that didn't seem to include his daughter.

Was it Lohan tradition for women to not greet their betrothed? I didn't think so.

"Dimitri," Abe said, with a smile that was as genuine as Abe Mazur's smile could ever be. "How are you, my boy?"

"I'm fine, Abe." I shook his extended hand. "How are you?"

"Good, good." He turned to the red haired woman at his right, who was undoubtedly Queen Janine. I'd never met her before but like her daughter, she had quite a reputation. "This is my wife, Janine Mazur."

"How do you do?" The grip with which she shook my hand confirmed everything I'd heard about her. It was as hard as her expression.

"I'm sorry for my daughter's absence, Your Majesty." Janine's apology, while sincere, couldn't hide her irritation. "She'll meet you later."

Before I could question her, Abe steered me away.

"You know Eddie, of course?"

Edison Castile. The only son of a runaway father, he'd been brought up by his mother's family. I'd met him briefly on several occasions.

"How are you, Lord Castile?"

He nodded, his demeanor that of a seasoned warrior. "I'm doing well, Your Majesty. I trust your family is on the way?"

"Yes," I replied, shaking his hand as well. "I was advised to take a chopper while Neal accompanied my family."

Eddie and Abe exchanged a smile.

"Did you like the view?" Abe asked slyly.

"Of course," I told him truthfully. "I regret not having visited Loha sooner."

Abe let out a laugh. "Of course you do. Come now, we have much to discuss. Neal will lead your family inside when they arrive"

"I hope you're not too tired, Your Grace." Eddie said as we walked inside. "Is it too soon for the meeting?"

"I'd rather have a meeting now to discuss the agenda," I told him frankly.

Abe nodded approvingly. "Work first as always, Belikov?"

"You know how it is," I said as my eyes took in the magnificent architectural of the Palace.

"Neal will show you around the Palace after the meeting," Eddie said, noting my appreciation of the Palace.

Show me around, he did. After the meeting which stretched to two hours, Neal pulled me away from Abe and Eddie to give me a tour of the Palace. Always the art expert, Neal described everything with a fondness that was contagious. Having just covered the ground floor in an hour, Neal insisted on showing me the Army training Center before dark.

"I can show you the upper floors tomorrow," Neal said as we walked across the grounds to the Army Center. "Now that you're staying here for two weeks, you can explore any day. For now, let me show off the training facilities."

"It's not going to impress me," I said, teasing him.

"You say that now," Neal replied with a grin. "Just wait until you see it."

"Don't hold your breath," I cautioned. "Besides, since when do you show off training centers? It's always been paintings and sculptures with you."

"It still is," Neal admitted. "Warfare bores me, unlike you."

"That is indeed true," I said with a grin as we took a right turn. "Remember the time in Jashna training camp when you were so impressed by that goblet Sergei was drinking from?"

"What can I say? Sergei's country is known for it's handicraft. I could-"

Neal was interrupted by his phone.

"You still have _that_ as your ringtone?"

Neal shot me a look as he picked up the call. But as he spoke, a vexed expression marred his usually cheerful attitude.

He exhaled as he ended the call, looking at me apologetically. "I'm sorry, Dimitri. Mother wants me to meet her immediately."

"It's okay." It'd been great to talk to him after so long. Since childhood, we'd attended a lot of training camps together. Before my father's death. After my coronation, I no longer had the luxury of attending training camps, thereby losing contact with Neal. "You go on. I'll come back in a while."

"Don't wander off," Neal joked.

"That's all you, Neal."

Chuckling, Neal walked back to the Palace. I walked slowly, savoring the fresh air. A small stroll was what I needed after the travel.

I tried to clear my mind as I walked but it was proving to be a difficult task. My thoughts spun in all directions, much like the wind which seemed to have gotten stronger in a few minutes, gathering up dead leaves and blowing them across the ground.

It would be prudent to head indoor. But as I turned around to walk back to the Palace, I heard the sound of hooves behind me.

Instinctively, I turned around, catching sight of a horse coming my way, with a rider on its back. Due to the dusty wind, I couldn't make out the face of the rider.

It was most probably a guard.

As I watched, the horse bucked, irritated by the wind. It shook its head many times, probably trying to clear its eyes. The rider dismounted and approached the animal, in an attempt to soothe it

I walked closer to see if I could be of some assistance.

As I approached, I noticed that the rider was female, which was quite shocking. I didn't know a single lady who'd liked to ride a horse. Viktoria, the most boyish girl I knew, was terrified of my stallion.

This lady before me however didn't seem to be scared at all. Who was she? A maid? But no maid would take a horse on a ride...

As I came closer, I could see that she was dressed in jeans and T-shirt, with thigh high boots. She had a slender frame and her long, dark hair was flying around around in the wind. She successfully calmed her horse before I reached them, patting the horse gently and stroking its mane. From her actions, it was clear that she loved her horse and had some experience with horses.

As she turned towards me, the wind faded slightly, allowing me to see her clearly.

The first thought that entered my mind was that she was _gorgeous._

Her wind-blown hair was a very dark shade of brown, almost black. It was wavy and shiny, framing her perfect face. Her dark eyes flashed as she took me in.

Well defined eyebrows, pink lips and high cheekbones coupled with unblemished tanned skin gave her an exotic appearance.

She was any man's dream, with her perfect face and flashing eyes.

It was the dark eyes that identified her to me.

She was Rose Mazur, my betrothed.

* * *

**AN: You can blame that dramatic meeting scene on Bollywood and it's influence on young minds :p**

**How was it? Leave me a review and let me know. I love reading reviews but then again, which author doesn't?! ;)**


	6. Inceptive impressions-part 1

**I've not been able to reply to reviews but I love you all and thanks a ton! :p**

** Enjoy this chapter :)  
**

**For those questioning me about the changes made, all I can say is the plot line is the same, guys. Don't expect dramatic twists like early marriage or affairs or something. Plot line is the _same. _The content is not, the dialogues are not. This chapter especially is a drastic turn from the previous meeting of romitri. Hope you like it :)**

* * *

_**Rose**_

"Dimitri?" I asked, weary of this stranger in front of me but I knew; I knew it had to be _him._

It had to be my betrothed.

Despite not having seen him for ages, he was fairly easy to recognize. He had the same dark brown hair and the same soulful eyes a shade darker than his hair.

But he'd changed, so much that if it weren't for the eyes, I wouldn't have recognized him.

His features had transformed beautifully, his chiseled face smooth and aristocratic. His shoulder length hair was pulled back in a short ponytail with a few stray strands framing his face. His skin was tanned, indicating that he spent considerable time outdoors.

He must spend a lot of time working out too, if his lean, muscled frame was any indication. His rugged masculinity was partly concealed beneath that form fitting crisp black suit, adding an air of sophistication to his natural aura of nobility.

Here was a man that embodied the word _hot_, with all capitals. Hoping that I hadn't been staring for too long at his Greek God-like body, I inclined my head when he swept me a bow, looking graceful while doing so; which surprised me considering his height.

His face was calm when he looked me in the eye. "We meet again, Princess."

His voice, _oh god!_ Deep, velvety and beautifully laced with a faint reagan accent, it was...My admiration was abruptly cut off when another thought entered my head. There's no way that the rumors about him were true!

They were all fooled.

Abe was wrong.

There was_ no way _that he hadn't had a single affair yet. No way! That suave manners, delicious body and that deep voice could drive a woman mad with lust. I was pretty sure he had hundreds of women throwing themselves at him on daily basis. No way had he rejected them all.

_No freaking way._

With a husband this hot, I knew my marriage was fated to be doomed. If he thought I'd sit aside quietly and let him continue fooling around, he was so wrong.

'_Whoa! Slow down, Rose.' _said a voice within my head, a voice that sounded suspiciously like Neal's. '_Give the man the benefit of doubt.'_

Realizing that I hadn't yet replied to Dimitri, I said the first thing that came to my mind. "What are you doing out here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," he noted coolly.

"I went for a little ride." I replied stiffly, not liking his tone.

I wasn't going to apologize, if that was what he's after. True, it would be prudent to say sorry for missing his welcoming party but I had never been one to play by the rules.

"You like to ride horses," he framed it more as a statement than a question so I just shrugged in return.

"Strange," he murmured softly, evidently not intended for my ears.

"It may be," I said, emulating his cold tone. "But I don't give a damn what anyone thinks about it."

The conversation was rapidly escalating to a face-off, which I didn't want or need. But I wasn't about to back down.

It would be better if he saw me for what I was.

Before marriage.

He was just like any other king, wasn't he, looking down on women? So what if I missed the party? So what if I loved horse riding?

"That's clear enough," he said with a small tilt of his lips. "You're something else, Rose Mazur."

His tone was odd, heavy with contemplation. I could almost see the wheels turning in his head, trying to make up his mind about me.

Or not.

He could've already dismissed me as being too strange for his taste, not someone he could bend to his will.

It was better this way.

I'd rather he broke the engagement himself.

But in a strange twist of events, he calmly looked at his watch and gestured in the direction of palace. "We'd better get back. My mother would be waiting for me, as will your parents."

Nodding, I started in the direction of my home, Dimitri to my left and my horse to my right. Aruna was trained enough that I didn't have to pull her reins to lead her anywhere.

A fact that seemed to impress Dimitri. "Clever horse you've got there."

For the first time that night, I felt my lips curving up in a smile. "She's the best. Going on a ride with her is always exhilarating, yet soothing."

Dimitri nodded as though he understood me. "That's the best part."

Now that we seemed to be on an even ground, I figured I should clarify the reason for my absence earlier. While there was a chance he'd break off the engagement, there was also a chance that we'd have to spend the rest of our lives together. In that case, I had to do my part if I wanted us to have a civil relationship in the very least.

"About the welcoming party-" I started, aware of Dimitri's eyes on me as we walked. "I didn't mean to miss it. I felt claustrophobic inside so I decided to take Aruna out for a stroll. Time just flew by."

The _'I'm sorry'_ died in my throat.

Dimitri was quiet for a moment before saying, ""It's not a problem."

Did he mean it? So far, I hadn't seen anything that would make me believe that he was okay with my lack of punctuality. Especially since it kinda seemed disrespectful of me to miss the welcoming party of my betrothed.

We walked for a while, in silence that seemed thick with contemplation; as though each of us were trying to analyze the other, wondering if we could really spend the rest of our lives together.

I knew I was.

After a while, the silence started to make me uneasy. I never did handle silence well.

"My mother's going to kill me," I told Dimitri as we neared the palace.

To my immense surprise, Dimitri smiled. A full smile.

_Not so cold, after all, huh?_

I didn't think he was capable of that.

But I was glad he was. For, the smile lit his chiseled features beautifully, making me stare at this god like creature in awe.

Yeah, no way was he a saint! No woman could resist such a smile...

"She isn't going to kill you, Rose." He said, amused at my apprehension.

I just rolled my eyes. "You don't know her. She's capable of anything."

Dimitri arched an eyebrow, making me wonder why everything he did seemed so insanely sexy.

"Even murdering her own daughter?" he said skeptically.

"Yes," I nodded solemnly. "Especially murdering her daughter."

There was silence for a moment before he chuckled, the low sound of amusement wrapping around me.

_Not so cold, after all._

I was starting to get a whiplash with the way our conversation was going. First we were almost hostile, now we were laughing together?

What do I make of this man?

I kept my eyes on the Palace ahead of us. It was fully dark now, dusk having smoothly transitioned to nighttime. Light glowed from the windows of the palace and from the lamps illuminating the grounds.

We fell into that contemplative silence again.

This time, I didn't try to break it, too lost in thought of whether I'd be able to live with this man beside me. Would we be each other's downfall?

Would he try to prevent me from doing what I love?

Would I be able to tolerate the presence of other women in his life? Would there be other women?

We needed to talk. But what's the guarantee that he'd be truthful with me?

After all, we were still strangers.

As we approached a palace, one of the stable boys came over to lead Aruna back to the stables. After patting her head, I instructed the stable boy to feed her some sugar cubes along with her dinner. Bowing, he left quickly with Aruna.

As we climbed up the broad steps leading to Eastern entrance of the palace, I managed to find a question both innocent and sufficient to fill the silence, "Do you have a horse?"

"I do," he admitted. "Black stallion. I take him out on weekends."

I had to smile at that.

"Do you still read those western novels?" I remembered him saying that he loved westerns, loved reading the beautiful books his mother had collected. In fact, he'd admitted that he'd rather have stayed in his room and read novels than attend the Ozeras' party.

I didn't know why that particular piece of information was still on my mind but it was.

It was one of the few things I remembered from that night.

A look of shock and surprise flittered across Dimitri's face before a neutral mask settled over his features.

But that small glimpse was enough for me.

I smirked. "My memory happens to be very good."

He conceded my point with a small inclination of his head. "Yes, I do still read westerns when I find time."

"Is that often?"

A small, wistful smile appeared on his lips. "Not often, no."

Words died on my lips when a small figure came running out of the Eastern entrance. "Rose!"

"Mia?"

Panting, Mia stopped in front of me, not yet registering Dimitri's presence. "Where were you?" she wheezed out, her blond curls falling into her face. "We searched everywhere."

Evidently, not _everywhere._

Clutching her forearms, I bent a little to look her in the eyes. "Mia, calm down. Tell me what's wrong."

"Your mother!" Mia screeched. "She's on warpath!"

Huffing out a breath, I turned to look at Dimitri. "What did I tell you?"

It was then that Mia realized that we had company.

"King Belikov!" she squeaked in surprise. "I'm so sorry, Your Highness. I didn't see you there! I swear I-"

"It's quite all right," Dimitri said, cutting off her long winded apology.

Smiling shakily at him, Mia asked me, "What will you do now?"

I perused my lips, looking from Mia to Dimitri.

I had an idea but would he agree to it?

Did I really care?

No, I decided.

Screw propriety.

"Would you care to escort me to my residence?" I asked Dimitri point-blank. Mia hissed in reproach.

"May I ask why?"

"You may," I said slowly, trying to figure out what he would say. "I'll explain on the way. So, is it a yes or a no?"

Dimitri tilted his head to a side. "I'm not sure I'm allowed to do that."

I scoffed, "You're my betrothed. If they didn't have a problem with arranging marriage between two strangers, they shouldn't have a problem with you escorting me home even if it's after hours."

He studied me seriously for a moment before offering me his arm.

Mia gaped, unable to believe that he was going through with it.

I was just as surprised.

_Not so cold, after all._

Concealing my astonishment, I smirked at Mia and hooked my arm through Dimitri's, directing him to my part of the palace, the _Nakshathra._

* * *

**AN:** **So, that's that. What'cha think? :D**

**In the previous version, Rose and Dimitri's meeting went a little too well for people with opposite personalities. I've written 'fire' and 'ice' in my summary but the previous version barely emphasized it. I hope this one does. Rose is a little too hasty in her judgements but Dimitri is too, as you'll see in the next chapter which is in his point of view. Their first conversation with their intended was not all sunshine and roses, not when the two people involved have such different ideologies, a little of which was in the last chapter DPOV and more will be revealed in the next chapter. Basically, he's all 'royal' while she's ready to spit on the face of royalty :p**

**Leave a review and let me know what you thought about this chapter :)**


	7. Inceptive impressions- part 2

**Hi! Sorry for the delay, thanks for the support, love you all! :D**

**Enjoy the chapter :)**

* * *

**Dimitri...**

Rose Mazur was a phenomenal creature...almost an enigma.

A wild enigma.

A tempest that couldn't be tamed.

Having spend a little over a half an hour with her, I could attest to the fact that she wasn't like anyone I'd met. She seemed to be in a category of her own, both in beauty and personality.

She was rough around the edges, direct in her approach. Her unruly long mane of silky hair and her chosen attire of jeans were glaring examples of her wild personality, definitely someone who would never play by the rules. She set her own path, this fiery princess. She would never be dictated by convention.

I found myself developing a somewhat grudging respect for her. It was hard to defy the standards of the society and this girl, this woman did. But I couldn't make up my mind about how this particular trait on hers would affect our future.

Not once did I get the impression that she was playing nice. No, I was quite sure Rose wanted me to see her like this.

To what end? Was she hoping that I would call off the engagement? Was she pretending to be scruffy?

No.

From what I could glean from our encounter, it seemed as if Rose would never pretend to be something she was not.

But in our world, putting on a mask was a necessity. She would have to play the part of an empress if she was to marry me.

She would have to don on a mask of civility and patience.

The empress of Russovia had to be someone refined, graceful and well mannered.

Could Rose be that?

I had to admit, there was a certain appeal to Rose's charm. She was naturally graceful and supple, her presence commanding and her voice exceedingly pleasant on the ears. But her conduct?

It was too soon to judge, of course.

I would have to be patient while trying to analyze and determine if she had the capability to become the empress of Russovia.

But what if she was against the marriage?

Her behavior towards me was almost hostile, a suspicious glint in her beautiful eyes as she looked at me. She must have deemed me to be like so many other kings who controlled both their countries and their wives. She could be worried that I would-

Just the thought of it made me sick. While I was aware of the plight of royal women in most of the countries, I've striven to be different from the vast majority of kings. Having been raised by women who gave the utmost importance to the women's rights and their liberation, I would never try to dominate my wife or reduce her to the job of a housekeeper.

At the same time, any wife of mine would have to follow certain protocols. I'd have to wait and see if Rose has what it takes. If not, mutual dissent from both parties could be cited as the reason to break the betrothal.

It was too early to say anything.

But I knew, with full certainty, that I'd have my hands full with this girl.

"So...as I already told you, my mom's strict." Rose's voice broke through my thoughts, focusing my attention on the beautiful woman at my arm. "_Very _strict."

"So you say," I replied lightly, resisting the urge to smile.

Rose didn't like that, if the glare she sent my way was any indication. "You'll say it too if you see my mother's true face. Let's first establish that my mother is strict before proceeding with the conversation."

Curious to hear what she had to say, I agreed.

Rose nodded, kicking away a stone from the graveled pathway. "The reason I asked you to escort me was to escape the powerful and easily triggered wrath of Janine Mazur."

I frowned, not quite understanding her logic.

Sensing my confusion, Rose elaborated. "I'm sure she's waiting for me at the Nakshatra. If you're with me, she'll know that we've already met. So, she won't be as angry as she wouldn't been otherwise."

Why did I have a feeling that most of Rose's arguments consisted of such roundabout logic?

"I think there's another reason," I noted. "You know that your mother will probably not scold you in my presence."

Rose looked impressed. "Not bad, comrade."

"Comrade?"

Rose shrugged. "Like partners in crime. The crime being tricking my mother."

"That's disrespectful," I said automatically.

"I don't care." Rose said with a steely glint in her eyes.

"You should," I pointed out. "Respect is what makes a man."

"Good thing I'm not a man," Rose shot back.

"Rose," I sighed in exasperation. "Do you treat your people this way too?"

The glare Rose sent my way was powerful enough to set a forest on fire. "No," she said, her voice holding barely restrained anger. She took a few steps away from me and pointed at something to the right, "Take a look for yourself."

Further to our right, a large arch stood proudly, a gateway to what looked like a garden.

"That's Madhuwan - the royal garden," Rose said quietly as I walked over to the arch. "Can you read the inscription on the arch?"

"It's Sanskrit." I'd studied the language and was fairly confident that I could read the words.

But before I could, Rose said softly, "_te pratamam aaganthavyam_. They come first."

"The Mazur family motto?" I asked, remembering that I'd read something similar."_They _meaning the people of Loha?"

Rose nodded, eyes on the arch.

"It's a remarkable thought." I said, turning it over in my head.

Rose turned to look at me, her face solemn. Her eyes crackled with energy, fury still evident in those depths but buried beneath conviction.

"It's what we live by," she stated, her countenance echoing the truth. "It's what _I_ live by."

As she stood there, basking in the moonlight and firm in her belief, I saw a glimpse of who Rose Mazur really was and why the people of Loha seemed to love her so much.

She had a way of commanding attention, ensuring that all eyes were drawn to her. But that was not it.

She was someone who loved her people.

Someone committed to her country, her duty.

Someone willing to fight for them.

At that moment, it was as if the world came to a standstill. There was no one but her. Illuminated in the moonlight, she looked ethereal. I felt a connection to her that I'd never felt before, a recognition of a person who seemed so different yet so similar to me me.

_They come first._

Yes, we were quite alike in that aspect.

No one had ever understood my passion for my duty before. But, in front of me stood a gorgeous woman who seemed to echo my own sentiment.

I was still pondering over it as we walked the rest of the way in silence until Rose came to a stop. Gesturing to the building ahead, she spoke in an off handed tone, "Welcome to my humble abode."

When I looked ahead, my first thought was that it was one of the best buildings I'd seen around here.

The moonlight fell on the two-storied structure in a way that made the building look otherworldly, just like the way Rose had looked a minute ago. I could hear the gentle sound of waves, indicating that a river or a brook was close by.

_Nakshathra_, Rose had called it. The name of the building was Nakshathra, meaning "Star" in sanskrit.

There could be no better name for it.

"Nice house," I said, smiling at Rose.

Rose looked indignant. "That's the best word you could come up with?"

Any reply I was about to make was cut off by a angry cry of "Rose!"

Ah, the furious mother makes her entrance.

Janine Mazur stood in the doorway, the light from inside spilling out on the front lawn. Her face reflected her anger before she noticed my presence. When her eyes fell on me, she composed herself quickly.

"I see you've met," she said smoothly, approaching us.

"Yes," Rose replied, smiling triumphantly. There was no sign of the solemn girl who'd declared her commitment to her people moments ago. "I brought him around to see the Nakshathra."

Janine raised an eyebrow in my direction, perhaps doubting my intentions. I would too, had I been in her position.

Rose was certainly doing a good job is damaging my credibility.

"-and he's escorting me to dinner." Rose continued with a fake smile. _What was she playing at?_

"That's nice," Janine said with a forced enthusiasm which seemed to please Rose. "I'll see you both at dinner then? Don't be late."

On one hand, I wanted her gone so that I could question Rose but on the other, I wanted to reassure her that my intentions were pure.

I didn't want her questioning my character.

But I settled for the former, wanting to talk to Rose first.

With another forced smile, Janine stalked off.

"Were you deliberately trying to make me look bad?" I asked Rose quietly, making sure my voice or my face didn't betray anything.

"What on earth could you mean by that?" Rose said loftily, striding ahead of me.

I resisted an urge to roll my eyes. "You know what I mean, Rose."

Perhaps my voice was a touch harsher. That would explain the fire burning in Rose's eyes when she turned to face me.

When she spoke, her voice vibrated with barely restrained anger. "Don't be such a prude. We're to be married anyway, right? Whoever wants to talk can talk."

"That doesn't make it right." I pointed out.

"Are you worried about your pristine reputation being stained?" Rose mocked, leading the way into her suite.

_Yes, I was._

"Why is your reputation so important to you?" Rose asked, her voice changing from angry to curious. "Does it really matter what people say about you?"

"It does," I replied stiffly. I registered the elegant interior of Nakshathra subconsciously but I could only concentrate on Rose at the moment. "When you're in a position of authority, it matters what people say about you."

"I agree," Rose said surprisingly. "When it's about your duty, I do agree. If they're talking about how good a king you are or how you badly you messed up with the new law or something like that. Point is, you should only care about what people say about you as a ruler of the nation. Not the idle gossip mongers who're wondering who you were kissing last week or who you've slept with."

Her words were crass, her manner brash but her words gave a lot of think about.

I'd never before thought of my reputation in the sense that Rose spoke about.

Would it really matter what people spoke about my personal life?

Perhaps not.

But I knew that it mattered to me. A private person by nature, I didn't like the thought of others speaking about my personal life. So, I tried not to give them anything to speak about in that front.

But could I make Rose understand that?

She and I had widely different views on this subject.

Trying to make the other bend to your viewpoint wouldn't work.

Climbing up the elevator with her, I wondered - maybe for the hundredth time that night - if we could make this betrothal work.

Only time would tell...

Stepping out of the elevator at the second floor, Rose led me to a tastefully furnished sitting room.

"I must get ready for dinner. You can look around if you want. I'll be back in around twenty minutes."

Without waiting for a reply, she strode off, disappearing through a door to my left.

Surveying the room, I noted the unique architectural style and unfamiliar patterns used to decorate the interior. Fascinated, I decided to look around to wile away the time.

After all, Rose had given me an open invitation to explore.

At the end of the hallway, I came across a curiously shaped metal door that stood out of the prominent red and gold theme. Very curious to know what was behind the door, I turned the knob hesitantly to reveal-

A gym.

With state of art facilities, it was a contemporary gym; complete with a sparring mat and a table of weapons. I could even make out obstacle courses, some exercise balls and dance hoops.

Maybe Rose liked to stay in shape and hence the gym. But why the weapons? Or the obstacle courses?

Taking a closer look wouldn't be prudent. It would almost be like spying. But I couldn't contain my curiosity.

Resolving to ask Rose about it later, I left the gym and turned to the door opposite to it.

It led to a large balcony.

There was an pool built on the floor, some poolside chairs, a stereo system and a small coffee table surrounded by comfortable chairs. The sound of water that had attracted my attention when we'd arrived at the Nakshatra, was clearer here.

Breathing deeply, I cherished the cool air on my skin as I walked over to the railing. Peeping down, I saw a sizable brook flowing through the backyard.

I tried to imagine Rose sitting by the brook, reading a book while drinking a cup of coffee. But that wouldn't be Rose.

Just spending a hour with her told me that my mental image was wrong. That wouldn't be Rose. It would be me.

Yes. If I were to fit Rose into that picture, she'd most likely be swimming in the brook. Or, something else that matched her energetic personality.

Perhaps I wasn't being fair but I couldn't imagine her sitting still. Maybe it was because our brief encounter only served to highlight the fiery aspects in her. A little more time with her may serve to unveil the enigma that was Rose Mazur.

-who was approaching me now, going by the soft, mellifluous sound of anklets.

I looked at my watch before turning around, pleased to see that she'd taken exactly twenty minutes like she'd promised.

I was about to remark on her punctuality but the sight that met my eyes stunned me speechless.

Never before had I seen a woman this beautiful.

Beautiful wasn't the appropriate word, though. It wasn't enough to describe how captivating Rose looked; clad in a saree, with that elusive garment draped fetching over her curvy form.

The saree was white and gold: white underlay with heavy gold embroidery. The sleeveless, crop top blouse was gold. Over it was a length of white and gold cloth with one end wrapped around Rose's slim waist, forming a skirt with pleats and other end folded into many pleats and draped over her shoulder. Her hair was tied back in a loose bun. A foxy smirk graced her full lips, one that suggested she was fully aware of her charm.

She looked _enchanting,_ like the physical manifestation of any man's dream.

While her jeans and top ensemble gave a ruggedly enticing edge to her beauty, the saree seemed to soften the fire; giving a refinement to the naturally exquisite form.

It was with some difficulty that I regained the power of speech.

"When you said you'd take twenty minutes, I was prepared for a hour," I confessed, forcing my mind away from her fetching body.

"I keep my promises," she said, her voice low and more sultry that before.

"Good," I said, clearing my throat. "That's good."

Rose smiled, her luscious lips lifting slightly at the corners. A cool breeze blew over us, pushing a lock of her hair over her face. As she shifted to brush it back, her gold earrings shook and the gold bangles on her wrist jingled. Her _bindi;_ ornamental little sticker worn between the eyebrows, glinted in the moonlight.

She looked like a true Lohan woman: ethereal, traditional and graceful.

A queen.

"Shall we?" She asked, gesturing to the door.

I smiled. "We shall."

* * *

** AN: Whew! Complicated chapter full of complicated and confusing feelings! What'cha think about it?**

**I know Rose and Dimitri seem a little rude to each other but that's because they are two very different people who are very apprehensive about being forced together. After all, misunderstandings happen quite often, especially between strangers that resent being pushed together. They have a long road ahead of them for sure :)**

**The 'world standing still for Dimitri' part was from Dpov of the first chapter of VA. It seemed to fit in this situation because they both share a sense of duty towards their citizens. **

**Hope you liked it! Sorry for any/all mistakes. Leave me a review and let me know what you thought of this chapter :)**


	8. The Madhri debacle

**Hi! Thank you so much for the reviews, follows and favorites! :)  
**

**Surprised to see an early update? :D That's how it's going to be from now on, fingers crossed! :p**

**As it so happened,** **I was re-reading LUNAtic2111's 'Turn back Time' and bawling my eyes out yesterday. That story is one the best ones I've read recently in our archive. Read it if you hadn't already! Anyway, reading that fic reminded me of my own and hence the early update ;)**

**This is a completely new chapter that was not part of the previous version. Hope you enjoy it :)**

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**Traasa**

"I thought you said I was to be a spy," Gregory said, trying hard not to glare at the man behind the desk whose was referred to as M10 in the traasa circle. He was in charge of planning and had been the one to tell Gregory that he would go into spy training.

But for the past two weeks, all Gregory was forced to do was train in bomb making. He was sick and tired of it and wanted out.

Which was why he'd sought out M10.

"I'm tired of making..."Gregory trailed off when the man, M10, scowled up at him.

"We don't need whiny babies in traasa, soldier." M10 barked. "You do whatever work we tell you to do."

"Yes, but-"

"Shut your hole or I'll make you." M10 threatened. "I've got enough on my plate without adding you. You do what job is given to you and you do it quietly, understood."

Scared, Gregory nodded hastily.

"The spies are always directly trained by our leader," M10 continued. "And he's very busy with the whole Loha fiasco. You will train with him whenever he says so."

"Yes, sir!" Gregory saluted the man.

M10 nodded, satisfied. He seemed to have decided that Gregory wasn't so bad after all. "Sit tight, soldier. The leader will be free soon. If he succeeds, we gain important allies in the Lohan Court. If not, eh, no big deal. We can grand plans for Loha and for our dear darling future queen."

* * *

_**Rose**_

"Hmm..." I savored the taste of the traditional Lohan chocolate muffin, each piece a slice of pure heaven. "Good work, Lira."

Chef Lira bowed, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

I rolled my eyes, talking another bite of the muffin. "How many times do I have to tell you to call me Rose?"

Lira blushed, mumbled something and slowly retreated. Grinning when a maid placed a plate of chocolate chip cookies in front of me, I took in the sight of the bustling kitchen.

My mother had ordered me to kitchen duty today, hoping that I'd learn something here. But so far, all I'd done was taste the amazing stuff cooked by the very talented chefs. After all, I didn't need to know how to cook, right? Russovia, being a bigger country than Loha, would surely have best chefs employed by the Crown. What then was the point in learning how to cook?

My mother didn't see it that way. She maintained that a wife should know all household duties. This was one of her desperate attempts at making me 'wife material'.

Chef Vikram approached me when I started munching on the cookies. "Do you like it, Princess?"

"Your cooking can never be anything less than amazing, Vikram." I retorted, smiling at my favorite chef. Growing up, he'd been more of an uncle than an employee. "These cookies are delicious."

Before he could reply, another voice sounded from behind me. "You like cookies, Rose?"

_Oh, damn._

It was the mother-in-law!

Granted, Olena was far from the monsters who posed as the in-laws on TV but I didn't know how approving she'd be of catching me relaxing in the kitchen instead of working.

"Olena," I said sweetly, turning to smile at the tall, brown haired woman standing behind me. Her stature was regal, her head held high but her eyes, those damned brown eyes of hers that were so similar to her son's, were kind. Unlike Dimitri's captivating eyes that drew you in deep as you tried to figure out what he was thinking, Olena's eyes were open and very welcoming.

When she smiled, I felt myself relaxing. When I'd met her for the first time yesterday, I knew that I'd grow to love this woman.

"Yes, I do love cookies," I confessed when she didn't show any sign of disapproval. "Especially Vikram's chocolate cookies."

"The princess is too kind, Your Majesty." Vikram told Olena who chuckled.

"I'm sure the praise is not undeserved, Vikram." Olena told him kindly, her raegan accent a little thick. It was generally more pronounced that Dimitri's but of course, his was sexier.

Smiling happily, Vikram went back to his work.

"Do you bake?" Olena asked me as she helped herself to one of the cookies.

"I tried," I told her, remembering the disastrous episode. "But it wasn't very good." That was an understatement. "But I do cook. Some things."

I didn't want her thinking I was completely incapable. After all, mom had taught me, rather forcefully, to cook certain simple items.

It was strange, the way I didn't want Olena to think of me as incapable. Normally, I didn't give two cents about what others thought about me. Hell, the way I'd behaved with Dimitri yesterday was almost as if I wanted to goad him into seeing me as I was. I didn't pretend, not bothering to put on a mask a perfect princess.

But now I cared what Olena thought of me?

Strange...

Olena, however, didn't seem bothered by my lack of cooking skills. "It's completely understandable. Abe tells me you're more interested in charity."

"Among other things," I told her truthfully. "When I take up a cause, I give it my full attention. I like being more hands-on while dealing with my city, my country."

"I've heard," Olena said with a smile. "Everyone here seem to love you, Rose."

I laughed. "An equal number of people hate me, Olena. Not everyone likes to see their princess being so involved in politics."

Olena, to my great surprise, laughed at my declaration. "They're all such bores, Rose. If you ask me, you're doing a great job."

With that, she left with another sincere smile.

Smiling to myself, I called the head chef to me. "Maria, I'm ready now."

"For what, Rose?" Maria asked, a little wary. She was the most experience chef in the kitchen and the one who'd known our family the longest.

"I'm ready to learn," I told her confidently. "Teach me a new dish."

But my enthusiasm was wasted, for another member of Dimitri's family entered the kitchen, apparently looking for me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked the pretty twenty year old who now stood in front of me. She wasn't alone, however. A young boy, about ten years old, stood behind her. "Paul?"

He nodded shyly but stood his ground, looking at me with his uncle's eyes. Damn, did everyone in the family had _his_ eyes? Paul hadn't been able to attend dinner yesterday, having slept off shortly after arriving in Loha. So, this was my first time meeting Dimitri's nephew.

"I'm really sorry for disturbing you like this," Viktoria said in a rush. "Mama said you were here so I came to introduce you to Paul."

"Give me a minute, Maria." I told the head chef before turning back to them. My eyes fell on the boy who looked so much like the younger version of Dimitri I'd met years ago. "Hello, Paul. I'm Rose."

"Hi!" He extended his arm for a handshake. Typical Belikov manners. "I'm Paul Voda."

Voda. Huh. That was Paul's father's surname.

"How do you do, Paul?" I asked, shaking his hand.

"Fine" he smiled, showing his dimples. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Yes?" I was curious to know what he wanted to ask me.

"May I call you Aunt Rose?" he asked with a grin.

That was not what I was expecting. Of course, I'd be his aunt if I were to marry his uncle. But giving my conformation would make me feel as though there was no way out of the marriage. But how could you explain that to a kid?

"You can call me that," I replied, swallowing. "Now, do you want some chocolate cookies?"

* * *

_**Dimitri**_

"What do you say to finalizing the nuclear deal tomorrow morning?" Neal asked me as we walked down the corridor leading to my suite.

"Sure," I replied. "My team has finalized the details. We can work out a solution tomorrow."

Abe nodded. "Then we'll see you tomorrow, son. We have a meeting with the Chief of the Army now."

"Of course." I said, shaking his hand. "See you at ten thirty in the morning."

When both men disappeared from view, I opened the door of the guest suite that had been assigned to me. Situated in the west wing of the Palace, it overlooked the vast grounds and...the Nakshathra.

Mentally going over the points that were part of the deal that was to be signed tomorrow between our countries, I put away the key and removed my shoes, loosening my tie a little. The temperature in Loha was generally higher than what I was used to. Air conditioning did help, of course, but the difference in the air density was still noticeable.

My back stiffened as my gut sensed something amiss in the room. It looked the same but...there was someone else here.

Cautiously, I looked into the attached kitchen, dining room and the bathroom. They were empty.

But my bedroom wasn't.

Sprawled on my bed was a female, someone I had no trouble recognizing.

_Madhri._

The same woman who seemed to be despised by the entire Mazur family.

Neal had warned me about her.

About the possibility that _this_ might happen.

He'd told me that she might try to make a move on me. But I had never imagined that she'd cross so many boundaries - by not just breaking into the room of a visiting monarch but also trying to obviously seduce someone who was supposed to be her brother-in-law.

Forcing down the bile in my throat at the sight of her barely clad body and her disgusting desperation, I averted my eyes. Clenching my teeth in irritation, I managed to grit out a, "Get out."

I heard rustling behind me. She must have gotten up from the bed. "Don't be like that, My King."

I could almost hear the pout in her voice and it only served to aggravate me more.

"I can give you pleasure you've only ever dreamed about," she continued, touching my arm.

I threw her off, disgusted by her behavior. I forced myself to turn around and look her in the eye, trying to convey the seriousness of what she was trying to do.

But the second I looked at her, those big blue eyes widened innocently. It was as if she had no clue what she'd done wrong, as if-

"What the hell's going on here?" A low, deadly voice filled the room.

The back of my neck pricked.

_Rose._

It was Rose. Rose had just found Madhri in my room, dressed in scanty clothes and standing right in front of me.

Did she think I was-?

Yes.

The fire burning in those beautiful brown eyes convinced me that she'd indeed suspected the worst.

"Madhri, step away from him." Rose continued in the same, low tone as she strode over to us.

"But, Rose!" Madhri tried to protest but was silenced by Rose's glare.

"Leave." Rose said, her hands clenched as though she was trying to stop herself from throwing a punch.

Understanding this, Madhri quickly picked up her coat and vacated the room quickly.

I crossed my arms over my chest as Rose turned to face me. Her eyes met mine but I didn't back down.

My irritation spiked at the accusation burning in her eyes but now it was mixed with indignation. Did she really think I'd wanted Madhri? That I'd asked her to come to my room?

She barely knew me at all. How could she assume that I would do such a thing?

Both of us stared at each other for what felt like eternity, refusing to back down.

It was Rose who broke the silence. "Her room's at the south-eastern part of the Palace, next to the fountain."

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked gruffly.

She shrugged lightly but she eyes were hooded with anger. "So that you can continue this meeting. At night."

"You have no right-" I began, stepping closer to her. "-you have no right to accuse me of such a thing."

"What I saw with my own eyes isn't enough?" She asked, her eyebrows raised mockingly.

"What exactly did you see, Rose?" I struggled to keep my voice under control. "Don't jump to a conclusion without thinking this through."

"Are you saying you were going to reject her?"

"Yes." I replied, my voice calm. Getting angry at each other wasn't going to accomplish anything. "I think you know that too."

Rose didn't answer. Rather, she waited for me to continue, her face impassive now.

"Despite whatever suspicions you seem to be harboring about me," I said, stepping right in front of her. "You know that I wouldn't stoop so low as to sleep with someone who could be my sister-in-law."

Rose exhaled, her eyes echoing her frustration. "I don't _know_ that, Dimitri. I don't know you."

I waited, knowing she would continue.

She did, when she grudgingly said, "But you're right, I don't think you'll stoop so low."

"Thank you," I said, relaxing a little. We were quiet for a moment before I said, "You know the solution to our problem, don't you?"

Rose moved to sit on the bed but stopped, grimacing a little. "I don't want to sit on the same place that filth was lying on."

Amused, I followed her as she sat down on the sofa.

Stretching my legs, I turned to Rose. "Do me a favor?"

"Hmm?" Rose asked, leaning back on the sofa.

"Get me another suite," I said, going back to loosening my tie.

"Sure thing, comrade." Rose said, smirking a little. "And as for your previous question - yeah, I think I know the solution." She met my eyes. "We need to get to know each other."

"Any idea how?" I asked, my lips curving up in a smile in response to hers.

"I don't think either of us are the type to sit down and have a heart-to-heart." Rose noted lazily before abruptly asking, "Are you free in the evening?"

"Depends on what you have planned," I said, a little wary of what she'd suggest.

Noticing that, Rose laughed, jumping up from the sofa. "Come to the Nakshathra at five."

I nodded my acceptance and Rose turned to leave. At the door, she looked over her shoulder and mumbled a soft apology before leaving.

What was she sorry about? For her immediate accusation? For not giving me the benefit of doubt?

Either way, with that small murmur of apology, my respect for this beautiful woman went up by several notches.

I found myself eager to see what she'd planned for us.

-x-x-

"Ready to get some exercise?" Neal asked me with a playful smirk. He and Eddie had offered to give me a tour of the Lohan Army Center on the Palace grounds. I'd already planned on challenging Neal to a sparring session. He hated workouts but I wouldn't let him slither out of this one.

I scoffed in reply to his question. "Do you need to ask?"

A look of surprise flitted across Eddie's face as Neal rolled his eyes.

"You really are different from what I've heard, Your Grace." Eddie said respectfully when he caught my eye.

"I told you," Neal pointed out but Eddie and I ignored him.

"What do you mean?" I asked him curiously.

Eddie shrugged. "I don't know how to explain it-"

Neal interrupted him. "Yes, you do. Dimitri, what he means is that he's heard all about your penchant for following the rules."

"As opposed to your penchant for breaking them?" I asked dryly.

Neal looked delighted, a devious glint in his eye. "Exactly. You know how I am. The world knows how I am. But you are a mystery to many, Sir by-the-rules-Belikov."

"That's one of the worse nicknames you've come up with," I told him.

"Forgive me, my creative juices are on a holiday." Neal retorted.

"What I meant was-" Eddie started again. "You seem so-"

"Straight laced?" Neal supplied.

Eddie groaned. "Stop interrupting me, Neal."

Neal held up his hands in surrender.

Eddie shot him another look and continued, "I'm sorry, Your Majesty. All I was trying to say was that my perception of you, based on what I'd heard, doesn't exactly match with what I'm seeing now."

I frowned, not quite understanding.

But Neal did.

"Dimitri," he said patiently. "What Eddie means to say is that he didn't expect to see you laughing and joking around. He's only heard about the somber, serious man that you are."

I chuckled. "Is that so?"

"Forgive me," Eddie apologized as we approached the training center.

"There's nothing to forgive," I told him honestly. "You're not wrong. Not really. But I've known Neal a long time now. Wouldn't you agree that he tends to bring out the worst in people?"

Eddie laughed as Neal snorted. We climbed up the steps and into the main arena of the training center. Men were busy working out but they all stopped to stare at us, saluting as we passed by.

I nodded at some people, some soldiers who I knew while Neal called out his greetings.

"If that's what you say about Neal-" Eddie told me as he led us through the arena and into the staircase situated opposite the door. "-I'd love to hear your assessment of Rose."

"She's a terror," Neal told me conspiratorially as we climbed up.

I suppressed a smile, wondering how Rose would react to her brother's words.

"I'm sure she's better than you," I told Neal.

Eddie laughed again.

Neal, however, was far from irritated. His blue eyes reflected deep amusement. "Already siding with her, Dimitri? If this is the case before marriage, I shudder to think how whipped you'll be after."

Eddie pressed his palm against the keypad for authentication and the door swung open to reveal the training area for the royal family. But unlike most of training centers I'd been to around the world, the Lohan Center seemed to provide the same quality equipment for both the soldiers and the royals.

Giving the room a cursory glance, I turned back to Neal.

"What happened to the grand tour that you promised?" I asked, deliberately ignoring his teasing.

Neal feigned shock. "What, you don't want to spar?"

"I do," I admitted, straightening a crease in my suit. "But I'd rather see the facility before changing into workout gear."

Neal kept his promise, taking me through the endless corridors and rooms in the royal wing. At the armory, Neal and Eddie stopped to chat with the guard on duty. As they talked, I wandered away to look around. The Lohan center was impressive and I made a mental list of things that I had to add to the Army training facility back in Russovia.

Lost in thought, I soon found myself unable to recognize my surroundings. Pushing open a door that looked familiar, I stopped when the sounds of blades clashing against each other reached my ears. Walking towards the sound, I passed a few corridors and entered a balcony that overlooked a courtyard.

In the courtyard were two figures, covered in full body suits and practicing sword fight.

Even though sword fighting doesn't have a place in the modern day warfare, every soldier was taught the skill since it's believed that sword fighting sharpens the mind and increases concentration.

The figures in the courtyard had metallic masks covering their faces. But from their body structures, it was clear that one was male and the other female. Neal had said that there were some women soldiers in the army. But what would they be doing in the place reserved for royals?

It couldn't be Janine and it sure wasn't Madhri.

So, there was only one answer to the question.

_Rose._

Looking closely, I could make out that Rose was clearly winning the fight. She seemed to be in peak condition, sashaying around expertly, dodging blows and using her sword in a way that indicated experience. She was beautiful to watch, her cat-like grace mesmerizing...

In a sudden move, Rose twisted around and ducked as her opponent's sword came sailing over her head. Smoothly, she went from defense to offense. With a powerful stroke of her sword, she succeeded in dislodging her opponent's sword from his hand. That stroke was so powerful that the man lost his balance and collapsed. She held her sword to his neck, clearly indicating that she'd won.

I clapped slowly, causing Rose to whip around in shock. The man who'd fought her bowed as I descended the stairs and moved towards them. Keeping my eyes fixed on her, I removed my suit coat and handed it to the man, rolling up my sleeves and motioning him to give me the sword. He did so, bowing and hurrying out.

"Ready to fight me, princess?" I asked, holding the sword in front of me, challenging her to a sword fight.

* * *

**AN: I'm very excited to hear what you think about this chapter! Don't forget to leave reviews! :)**

**The situation with Madhri had the potential to cause a huge fight between Rose and Dimitri but they put out the fire before it even started. Do you think this temporary peace between them will hold? :p  
**

**Re-written sword fight in the next chapter. Start placing your bets on R or D ;)**


	9. Laying the groundwork

**Hi! :)**

**Thank you so much for the reviews, follows and favorites! I'll be replying to reviews shortly…I keep forgetting to do that! :D**

**Anyway, enjoy the chapter! One sword fight between Rose and Dimitri coming right up :p  
**

**DISCLAIMER: This scene is borrowed from the bollywood movie Jodha-Abkar. It features a fantastic sword fight that is worth a watch :) Oh, Rose and Dimitri don't belong to me :p**

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_**Rose...**_

"You're on," I told Dimitri, concealing my surprise.

What was he doing here?

How did he even find the sword fighting section?

And where on earth were Eddie and Neal? It had to be one of them that had brought him here.

"Looks like we're meeting earlier than planned," Dimitri said casually as he twirled the sword around with ease.

"Whose fault is that?" I asked, removing my face mask and tossing it aside.

Dimitri smiled that sexy half smile of his. At that moment, everything about him screamed sexy. His crisp white shirt and black slacks gave him a dangerous edge. With sleeves rolled up to his elbows and hair tied back in a low ponytail, he looked…mouth-watering? Whaat?

"Ready?" he asked softly.

Taking a deep breath, I moved back in measured paces as he moved forward, his grip on the sword indicating his experience.

Both of us stepped forward, towards each other at the same time, our swords clashing in a move that felt almost choreographed.

After a few strikes, both of us retreated several steps, gauging each other.

Dimitri smiled slightly as he took in my stance, "Not bad."

My anger spiked, detecting a slight in his words. _Men._ "Not bad for a princess, you mean?"

He opened his mouth to reply but I didn't give him a chance.

Concentrating all my energy on a single blow, I forced him to take two steps back.

Without pause, I struck again.

This time he ducked under my sword and gracefully moved to my other side. I turned quickly, only to be met with a skilled blow which forced me to take a step back.

Again, both of us paused and eyed each other warily.

Looking away from those magnetic eyes, I made the first move.  
A corner of his lips turned up as he deflected my blows easily, taking one step back for each of my strike, forcing me to follow him.

Irritated, I swung my sword to his side, only to be met by a pillar. He was easily slipping between the pillars on the side of the courtyard, alternating between a duck and a strike.

Angered by his slipperiness, I put even more power into my strikes, with him matching my power with his own.

We seemed to be evenly matched, with both of us slipping between defensive and offensive.

One of his strikes overpowered me for a moment and he took the opportunity, pushing me against a pillar. I only had time to hold my sword in front of me before he pushed his sword against mine, both of us now against the pillar, breathing heavily from exertion and separated only by our crossed swords.

Again, there was a pause.

A heavy pause.

My skin crackled with electricity at his closeness. I could feel his breath on my face, his eyes hypnotizing me. It would have been embarrassing if he hadn't paused as well, as if under the influence of a similar spell.

This close, I could make out the fine features of his face, the ridges and -

What was I doing?

What the hell was I doing?

He might be my betrothed but he was still a stranger. Someone I didn't, couldn't really trust.

His attractiveness was messing with my mind.

With that thought, I abruptly pushed him away and swung my sword at him. Even though I'd clearly stunned him, he regained himself in a jiffy and like that, we were back to our fight.

Our battle now took a furious edge, both of us trying to overpower the other. In terms of strength, he was better but I was quicker than him. But weirdly enough, I was the one relying on strength and him on speed.

We were using each other's best trait.

We were pushing each other to our limits.

I loved every moment of it, simply because I hadn't battled anyone so skilled before.

One of Dimitri's strikes had me ducking close to the ground, almost losing my footing. With effort, I managed to keep my balance but the move cost me.

My hair was free of its tie. A major disadvantage. But I had to overcome it if I wanted to win.

"Solitude!" I commanded. Two of my guards who usually oversaw my practice sessions and a few other servants standing in the open corridor adjacent to the courtyard dispersed.

Dimitri had an unreadable look on his face. He seemed almost..._captivated?_

I shook my head, both to get rid of crazy thoughts and to get my hair out of my face. Then, I swung my sword at Dimitri.

This time, we weren't moving around. It was strength versus strength, which was a disadvantage to me.

Clearly aware of it, Dimitri fought such that I had no room to move around. Our sword met and locked against each other, both of us pushing against our swords. His strength overcame mine but I didn't pull my sword away.

This forced me to bend a little. But I didn't give up.

Gritting my teeth, I pushed again, this time breaking away from the logjam. My escape brought us to the corridor bordering the courtyard.

In a move so quick that I couldn't comprehend it, he slashed at the curtain hanging from the window nearby and threw it at me. Momentarily blinded, I fought my way out of the curtain maze only to see that Dimitri had vanished.

He was nowhere in the courtyard or the corridor. But the corridor lead to another smaller courtyard which was bound by pillars and curtains hanging from the ceiling. It had comfortable chairs and divans and was meant for resting after practice sessions. Dimitri must be there, hiding, hoping to catch me unawares when I came investigating.

Cautiously I entered the courtyard, keeping an eye out for any sudden movements between the curtains.

Suddenly, he was there, attacking me from my left.

I blocked his strike and retaliated quickly, our swords clashing together again.

But when he took a step back, Dimitri's leg caught the edge of a divan nearby and he fell back on the massive divan.

Of course, it was a stroke of bad luck for him and good luck for me. Smirking, I stepped closer and raised my sword to dislodge his sword from his hand.

"Rose!"

I turned around, startled by the sound of someone-Lissa- calling my name. A split second later, I realized how stupid that move was.

Capitalizing on my distraction, Dimitri, still lying on the divan, swung his sword and dislodged mine from my hand.

I turned to him, outraged. _He'd just cheated!_"That's not fair! If Lissa hadn't called me-"

"A small moment of hesitation can get you killed in battle," Dimitri said sagely, looking innocent.

That look wasn't something I was familiar with. This man with his god damned masks could actually look innocent?

As if.

I spared him a glare before turning to Lissa who'd approached us. "Couldn't you have waited just a minute longer?"

"I'm sorry," Lissa apologized, clearly humoring me. I could tell she was trying her best to not laugh.

I narrowed my eyes at her but my attention was diverted to Dimitri who'd stood up now. "Forgive her, Rose. I was lucky to win. You fight good. Really good."

I scoffed but decided to talk to him later. I had to deal with Lissa first.

"What did you call me for?" I asked her, still miffed to have lost because of her.

"Nothing of consequence," Lissa said with a sly smile, her eyes darting once between me and Dimitri.

"Well then," I faked a smile, knowing what she wnated. "Let me introduce you."

Turning to Dimitri, I gestured to Lissa, "This is Lissa Dragomir-"

"-I've heard many great things about you, Lady Dragomir." Dimitri said with a small smile.

Lissa blushed.

_What was going on?_

Narrowing my eyes at her, I continued, "She wasn't in the city yesterday when you arrived."

"I'm sorry I missed your arrival, Your Majesty." Lissa said with a small curtsy.

_Damn it! Why was I getting so irritated?_

Dimitri's smile widened, because of her reply or her curtsy, I didn't know. "It's not a problem, my lady. You weren't the only one who missed it."

Both of them turned to look at me.

For a moment, I was struck by the thought that Dimitri and Lissa would make a perfect couple. They were similar in so many aspects. She was all manners and grace and simpering, the very things Dimitri seemed to want in a wife. That's what he'd told me the day he'd arrived in Loha. It was all about appearances with him, a perfect face to present to the public. Lissa would be good for that-

"Rose?" Lissa's voice entered my increasingly unpleasant thought process. Startled, I looked between her and Dimitri.

Both of them looked at me expectantly.

"What?" I asked, feeling out of it.

Lissa shot a look at Dimitri and told me, "I'll see you later."

I nodded absentmindedly.

Dimitri started to roll down his sleeves, sparing me a small glance. "Are you okay?"

"Why don't you marry Lissa?" I blurted out.

Dimitri's eyes widened in shock, his hands stilling on his sleeve.

"It's the perfect match," I carried on, my thoughts making more sense to me as I vocalized them. "She's everything you seem to want. A perfect queen."

"Where's this coming from?" Dimitri asked, his damned neutral mask sliding over his face.

I shrugged, trying to appear blasé. "Think about it. Didn't you say 'respect makes a man' and all that rubbish about maintaining a good reputation? Lissa feels the same."

"So I should marry her?" Dimitri asked slowly, his stance rigid.

"Why not?" I asked, unable to stop talking. "You don't have to deal with me and my delinquent ways anymore."

Dimitri's jaw clenched. "You need to stop this."

"Stop what?" I asked, confused.

He covered the distance between us in two strides, his eyes burning though his voice was cool. Cold, even. "You need to stop presuming so much, Rose. You think you know me? You know what I want and need?"

"I didn't say-"

Dimitri cut me off. "Don't. If you don't want this marriage, tell me directly."

"This isn't about us," I told him, strangely calm.

Dimitri raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it? You're trying to set me up with your best friend so that you don't have to marry me anymore."

"That's not true," I insisted. "I'm just suggesting a better match."

Dimitri shook his head, his voice exasperated now. "I couldn't care less if it's a better match or not. You can't convince me to marry someone just because you think it's for the best. Either you're in this betrothal or you're not."

It was then that I realized the absurdity of the situation. What was I trying to do?

I had no right to assume that Dimitri would want to marry Lissa just because the both of them shared some values.

Why, oh, why do I not think before I speak?

Shaking my head, I looked up at him apologetically. "I shouldn't have done that."

"You shouldn't have," he agreed, his tone still off.

"I'm sorry," I persisted, wanting to see him crack. "It's just that-"

"It's just what, Rose?" he asked with a sigh. "You've been presuming too many things since I've arrived. I admit, I have presumed things about you too but we cannot continue like this."

I nodded, realizing the truth of the statement. "You're right. But Dimitri, this…this is hard for me."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Not presuming things about you," I clarified. "I've seen the power the royal men hold in the world. With the exception of my own brother, no one, not even my father approves of my...way of life, so to speak."

Dimitri had been listening patiently. When I paused, he asked, "By 'way of life' you mean this? Warfare?"

I smiled slightly. "Warfare. Among other things."

"Rose," his tone softened drastically as he took a step towards me. "I know you have your suspicions about me. I'm glad you're actually telling me about them, as opposed to letting it fester. In regard to this particular question of yours, I want you to know that I'm not like the others kings, Rose. I don't want to marry someone who only cares about appearances and riches. If I've to marry, then I want to marry someone who's able to walk by my side, not behind me. Someone capable of defending herself and others if need be. Someone who stands up for what she believes in."

_Wow!_

I hadn't expected that. But I couldn't doubt it, not when his eyes reflected his sincerity.

He did mean what he'd said.

He really wasn't like anyone I'd met before. Then again, even at nine years of age, he'd been so very different.

His confession chipped away the greatest fear I'd been harboring since I'd learned of the betrothal. He didn't want a trophy wife. He actually wanted someone who could match him every step of the way.

Was there hope for this betrothal after all?

Not wanting to delve on it, I relaxed my face into a smile and joked, "You're quite lucky, you know?"

If Dimitri was disconcerted at the way I'd switched from being serious one moment to joking in the next, he didn't show.

He just went along with it, with earned him some pretty cool points in my book.

"How so?" he asked me lightly.

"You've gotten so many apologies from Rose Mazur herself." I pointed out. "Not many people can boast of that."

Dimitri chuckled.

Like that, the ice between us was cracked, if not fully broken.

"Do you remember the Ozeras party fourteen years ago?" Dimitri asked as we set out to find Neal and Eddie.

"When we first met?" I clarified.

Dimitri nodded.

"Yes," I replied as we walked down the corridor. "What of it?"

"I remember Christian being fixated on a blond girl," he said. "Was that Lissa?"

"Yup."

"Aren't they together now?" he asked curiously. "I met Christian about two years ago and all he talked about was Lissa."

I sighed, slightly sad at the recollection of what Lissa and Christian had been. But I was also grateful for the topic. It gave me a chance to talk casually with Dimitri. Ever since his arrival, all our talks had been heavy with accusations, suspicions and fear of a future together. Talking about something other than our future would, hopefully, lighten the atmosphere between us, giving me a glimpse of the real Dimitri.

"They're not together now," I told him. "They dated for a few years, then broke up because of Christian's insecurity and Lissa's paranoia. But they still love each other, as far as I can tell."

"Insecurity and paranoia?" Dimitri asked, puzzled.

I nodded, turning the corridor to the fencing arena Neal loved. "Christian thinks he doesn't deserve her. Lissa thinks Christian is not interested in her and likes other girls. I've tried my best to patch them up but they're more stubborn than I am, at least in this."

Dimitri smiled that sexy half smile of his. "Is that even possible?"

"What dirty secrets are you whispering to each other?" Neal's voice sounded from behind us.

My ever-so-charming brother stood leaning against a pillar behind us with his trademark grin. Eddie stood beside him, his eyes amused.

I scoffed at Neal's comment. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Actually, no." Neal replied thoughtfully. "Who knows what-"

"Neal!" I groaned, cutting him off.

Eddie laughed as they walked towards us. Neal said, addressing Dimitri, "I take my eyes off you for a minute and you run off to find my sister?"

Dimitri rolled his eyes, an easy smile on his lips. "I didn't _run off. _I got lost in this maze that you call a training center."

Neal and I shared a grin.

"You got lost, comrade?" I teased. "In this tiny little building?"

"It's confusing," Dimitri insisted, his hands in his pockets.

"Get a map next time," Neal joked. "My sister may not be around to save the day."

"Save the day?" I scoffed. "Hardly. In fact, I rather you not get lost again, comrade. You interrupted my practice."

"I did beat you," Dimitri pointed out.

I paused a second, reveling in the fact that we were having such a light, carefree conversation. I would never have guessed that Dimitri was capable of being as relaxed and laid-back as he looked at the moment.

"You both had a match?" Eddie asked before I could reply.

"Sword fight," I answered, scowling at Dimitri. _He beat me, did he?_

"Whoa!" Eddie whistled. "I'd have paid to see that."

"I'm not sure I would've," Neal said lightly. "Who knows what they-"

I clamped my hand over his mouth, wary of his words. "I'd rather not hear the rest of that sentence, Neal."

"You really won against Rose?" Eddie asked Dimitri.

"Only because Lissa distracted me," I said indignantly, huffing when all three men laughed.

"You won't quite so lucky next time," I warned Dimitri.

"We'll see, Rose. We'll see." He said with a rare, happy smile.

In spite of everything that had happened between us, all the misconceptions, anger, frustration and everything else, I found myself looking forward to more days with him.

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**AN: I'm not very happy with this chapter but it was needed. Sorry if it was boring! :p**

**What did you think about Rose and Dimitri's fight? Technically Dimitri won but we saw how! :D But hey, all was well at the end, right? Will it stay that way though? ;) Leave me a review and let me know what you thought of this chapter :)**

**P.S: Advance Diwali wishes to all those who celebrate it! May happiness and joy fill your lives! Enjoy the festival of lights :)**


	10. A productive day out

**Hi! :)**

**So, we've crossed 500 reviews! Thank you so so so much to everyone who's ever read, reviewed, followed or added this story as a favorite. Believe me when I say that this story would have been shelved if not for your continued support :)**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter :)**

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**Quick recap:**

**Loha: **A progressive and beautiful little country ruled by King Ibrahim Mazur. His daughter, Rose Mazur, is strongly independent and strives for equality among men and women.**  
**

**Russovia: **A large and strong empire with diverse population, ruled by King Dimitri Belikov who is known to be a recluse, workaholic and strait-laced with firm ideas on rights and duties**. **

**Traasa: **A fledgling militant group residing in the depth of Russovian jungles, intent on toppling the 'corrupt' monarchy of Russovia and securing freedom to restore the economic balance of the country.

**Yavana: **Russovia's neighbor and arch-nemesis. The country that secretly funds traasa to cripple Russovia.

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**Traasa**

M10, the chief planner of traasa, bowed as he entered the tent where the three traasa leaders- the hefty one, the stout one and the masked one, were holding a conference among themselves.

The hefty leader growled at the interruption. "What's it?"

For all his fierce looks, M10 seemed to quiver before the leaders "I-I am sorry for disturbing, sir. I w-wanted to know if sir-" he bowed in the direction of the masked leader, "-is free is train the initiates."

The masked leader secured the scarf around his face to make sure that no part of his face other than his eyes was visible. When he was satisfied with it, he said quietly, "Train them in everything. Monitor them. Select five of the best and bring them to me soon."

M10 bowed and left quickly.

"So what's the conclusion?" The stout leader asked his companions.

"There is no way we can prevent the wedding," the masked man said carefully.

At the hefty man's glare, the masked one sighed. "Loha is strong. Maybe even stronger than Belikov's army here in Russovia. We have no hope of smuggling enough men into Loha to create a significant disruption."

"Let's bomb one of Loha's cities." The hefty man said. "That traitor of a king will know that we did it because of his marriage."

"Bombing a city isn't easy," the masked man said. "Especially when Mazur has tightened the security for Belikov's visit. Also, we don't have any experience in making and using major bombs."

"So we do nothing?" spat the hefty man.

"I didn't say that," the masked leader soothed. "Maybe we could use one of the smaller bombs, just to give them a warning."

"Lets do that," the hefty man nodded. "We don't want Belikov to think we've gone soft."

"We need more spies," the stout man said abruptly. "You can train them well, seeing as how you are the best spy there is."

The last part was addressed to the masked man who smiled behind his scarf mask.

"No one knows that you're actually fighting for our cause," the stout man continued in amusement. "A man of such high position at Belikov's court is actually one of us."

All three of them laughed.

"Not just that," the stout man continued. "Yesterday, a powerful person from the Lohan Court has also pledged support to our cause. Zmey has no idea that he has a traitor in his midst."

They laughed again, amused by the idea of the cunning Zmey being spied on. Zmey had always been the one with spies, with secrets and blackmail material.

But not now.

He was beaten at his own game.

"We need more than just spies," the hefty man said when the laughter subsided. "We need someone who knows how to manufacture bombs and how to use them effectively."

"Yes," agreed the masked man. "We'll become significantly more powerful with that knowledge. Until then, we have to stick to what we know."

"So we just let the marriage happen?" the hefty man growled. "We just stand by when Belikov gains such a powerful ally?"

The masked man smiled. "What use are allies when the problem originates from within? To fight us, he wont bring in foreign forces. He knows that this is Russovia's internal matter."

"Our ally Yavana is threatened by this alliance," the stout man noted.

"We only need Yavana to supply us with arms," the masked man said. "Once we have enough, we don't need Yavana anymore."

"True, that." the hefty man said angrily. "I don't need foreign scum helping me."

"Easy," soothed the masked one. "We do need them at present. I say we let the marriage happen. Let's send them a warning making our sentiments clear but we'll leave it at that. For now. Once the Lohan princess comes to Russovia, we can take care of both of them. Husband and wife will go down in history as the last rulers of Russovia."

"Hear, hear!" The stout man cheered as he raised his glass in a toast.

* * *

**Dimitri**

My initial impression of Rose had been a confusing one. I was both impressed and apprehensive.

I'd noted how so many of her qualities were in direct contrast to mine. This had, rightly so, brought along several questions about our life together. They were questions I'd not yet found an answer to.

But the sword fighting session two days ago had done us a great deal of good. I now understood what exactly Rose feared in this alliance. I was glad to have an opportunity to assuage her doubts. While our betrothal may or may not hold, I was glad to have met Rose Mazur. Once her hackles were lowered, she revealed a side of her I'd only ever heard about -her playful, mischievous nature capable of finding humor in any situation.

I found that I could talk to her the way I scarcely could with others. I could talk and she would listen. Sure, there would be dry comments, endless teasing so reminiscent of Neal and lots of sarcasm but she would listen. We were now friends...of sorts.

I didn't yet know if we'd be compatible enough to lead a life together. But moments like this made me realize we were a lot alike that I'd originally thought.

While Rose had already made it clear that she was quite devoted to serving her people, it was at this very moment that I could see the truth for myself.

"Comrade!" a voice hissed in my ear, pulling me deeper into the shadows. "Which part of 'don't reveal yourself' wasn't clear enough for you?"

I turned to look at the speaker who was clad in a long skirt and a flowery tank top with a veil covering her face. Bangles jingled in her hands which gripped the veil securely. Her long, dark hair -her identification -was bound in a bun and covered by a black hairnet. Her face was well obscured without appearing suspicious. In fact, she could easily pass as one of the tribal girls I'd seen in Loha before.

If I had not seen Rose's face before she'd donned the veil, I'd have doubted her authenticity. For, she dressed so unlike herself that no one would suspect it was their well dressed princess who they saw on the television regularly.

"I wasn't particularly doing anything," I said in reply to her accusation.

"Precisely the point," Rose grumbled, pulling my hat lower to almost cover my eyes. "Your insanely long frame is already drawing enough attention."

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Rose, you've made me wear a construction worker's uniform complete with the hat. You needn't worry about my height giving me away."

"Easy for you to say," Rose pushed me against the wall under a large awning. "I'm the one who'll get into trouble if we're discovered."

"You've never been caught?" I asked curiously.

"Once or twice." Rose replied nonchalantly, scanning the streets with sharp eyes. "My mother gave me hell."

"But that's not enough to stop you," I noted.

"No." I caught a hint of smile underneath the translucent veil. "I love doing this."

But 'this', she meant sneaking away into the city while dressing up as a commoner.

"I admit that I can see the allure," I said slowly. "But it's also incredibly dangerous."

"Have you ever done it?" Rose asked unexpectedly.

I shook my head. "I visit my city often but never in disguise."

"Well, I'll show you what you've been missing." I could almost _hear_ her mischievous smile. "Come on!"

With that, she led me away from the shadows and into the bustling streets.

Some people spared us an odd glance, perhaps because we appeared a tad strange walking together in our widely different disguises, but no one bothered us.

As we walked, I acquired a new appreciation for Devagiri and particularly its princess. Rose's tone betrayed her excitement at being among her people as she pointed out various landmarks for me. She was happy to act the part of a commoner roaming her city, I realized. She seemed to cherish the small peak into the everyday lives of her citizens.

"That is the Sayaga temple," Rose pointed out an age-old, charming stone temple. "It's quite a sight. Maybe I'll take you there next time."

Before Rose, I'd never have thought that being a commoner for a day was something I'd enjoy.

_Before Rose._

She had a tendency to make me question the life I'd lived before.

"What do you do on these visits?" I asked her curiously.

"Supervise," she said primly before catching sight of my skeptical look. She threw back the veil covering her face and grinned. "No, really. That's all I do. I watch people, I talk to people and generally enjoy my freedom."

"Freedom," I repeated, finally seeing a glimpse of the way Rose's mind worked.

"That's how I see it," she said with a shrug. "It's liberating, is it not?"

_Yes, it was._

Here, I didn't feel weighed down by my responsibilities or by the mannerisms that had been bred into me since childhood. There was no right and no wrong here.

No worries about our future together.

There was just us.

Perhaps reading the answer on my face, Rose continued with a smile, "There's your answer."

But I had a feeling there was more to it.

Rose looked at me again before laughing. "Okay, okay! I admit that I love to hear the latest gossip surrounding me and my family."

I laughed. Rose had a marvelous streak of honesty that was very refreshing.

"Seriously though," she said a moment later. "I try to get the general response to a particular law or any complaints they have that couldn't make to it my father's ears. Generally making sure that all's well, you know?"

I nodded, impressed that a princess would go to such lengths for the sake of her citizens.

I've truly never known anyone quite like Rose.

"What do you do when you visit your city?" Rose asked as we turned to enter a quieter street. The stillness of the residential area we were walking through was a welcome relief after the hustle and bustle of the main streets.

"Making sure all's well," I said with a smile, quoting her. "But now I see that people may not have been very honest with me about their problems."

Rose smiled understandingly. "It's difficult for them to complain when the king himself has come to meet them."

I nodded, appreciating the discussion. While my family in general and Ivan in particular would always listen if I wanted to talk about my duties, none of them understood it for what it was. But Rose did.

She understood.

"That's where disguises are useful," Rose said as we walked along a canal. "You should try it sometime."

"I don't know," I said lightly, turning to face her. "You haven't yet shown me the benefits of wearing a construction worker's uniform."

Rose laughed, her eyes twinkling in the sunlight. "Come on then."

Rose proceeded to prove her point throughout the day. As per her request, I'd made sure to clear my schedule for the day. When I'd told Abe that I would be unavailable for the day, he'd got a strange glint in his eye that suggested that he knew I'd be with Rose. Perhaps she'd told him but I doubted it. Abe was not the kind of person who needed to be explicitly informed about anything. He always seemed to know everything and everyone around him.

"Here we are," Rose said with a grin, coming to a stop beside a old structure wedged between two brick buildings.

"Where is _here_?" I asked apprehensively. I was slowly learning that Rose's definition of normal didn't match my own.

"_Here_ is the where you get the best rice balls in all of Loha," Rose said with a proud gleam in her eyes.

"Here?" I repeated, unable to digest her words. Rice balls in this old building? I'd never eaten a rice ball before but weren't they quite tasteless?

Rose rolled her eyes in reply. "Is that your favorite word? _Here_? Yes, here, comrade! Follow me."

She led me to a rickety wooden door covered in dust. She waited for me to step up beside her before pushing open the door.

The door opened with a loud creak and rained dust on the ground. But all it revealed was darkness untouched by a single ray of light.

"Are you sure you've got the right directions?" I asked Rose who was frowning.

"Mason swore it was here," Rose grumbled, pulling her veil down on her face. "I've never been here before but Mason always gets me rice balls from this place."

Mason. The guard heading her escort. They appeared to be quite close...

"Oh, look!" Rose caught my hand, her excitement returning ten fold. "There it is!"

She pointed at a run down sign that announced the presence of "Paula's eatery" at the back of the building and then proceeded to drag me there. But all I was aware of was the warmth of her hand in mine.

Do people even notice such things the way they do in books?

Apparently yes.

Her slender fingers, calloused as my own, intertwined with mine with an ease that was unfamiliar. Unfamiliar but comforting.

Had it been mere days since we'd met?

So much had happened between us, so many arguments and misunderstandings that it seemed strange that we could be comfortable with each other. But we were.

We were more similar than either of us had imagined.

I certainly had not. Given Rose's frosty reception of me, I doubt she had either.

I doubt either of us had even imagined that we could not only carry on a healthy conversation with each but we would find out things about the other than resonated with us. Paula's eatery, good rice balls or not, certainly was a step in establishing a rapport with the woman I was engaged to.

We sat at the back of the run down but cozy shop, ordering the rice balls Rose was ever so fond of and managed to engage in a spirited conversation about anything and everything.

Rose had a natural aura of endless enthusiasm when she was in the mood and that was infectious. I'd never just sat down and talked to someone the way I was now.

"What do you think?" Rose asked me eagerly when I swallowed a piece of Paula's rice ball.

"It's surprisingly good," I admitted. "I imagined rice balls to be quite bland."

Rose laughed. "That's what I told Mason the first time he brought me these. But the flavors are delicious, aren't they?"

I nodded slowly, leaning back on my chair to look at her clearly. The morning light from the window beside us seemed to bend around Rose's figure, illuminating her form and adding a glow to her features. Her eyes seemed brighter, her lips softer. Shaking off the momentary breathlessness, I regarded her seriously.

"You and Mason seem close," I said, more of a statement than a question.

"We are," Rose confirmed, a rare gentle smile on her lips.

My fists clenched involuntarily as my stomach churned. I was uncomfortable but-why was I? Why was I troubled?

"We grew up together," Rose continued, unaware that I suddenly wanted to hear no more.

I just nodded in reply, forcing down whatever I was feeling.

"Are you-" I trailed off, not sure if I wanted to ask the question running through my mind. I wasn't sure if I'd like the answer. But I had to know. "Were you...involved?"

For a second, Rose looked confused. Then comprehension dawned on her face as she grimaced. "No! Mason's like a brother. That's just gross, comrade!"

I chuckled in spite of myself, feeling oddly light. Just then, an old lady approached our table. Rose hastily lowered her veil.

"Do you like the riceballs, my dears?" she asked with a gentle smile.

"Yes, thank you." I replied, eyeing her name tag which identified her as Paula, the owner of the shop. "It's delicious."

Paula beamed. "Thank you! I'm so glad you liked it, my dears. I was worried about the taste, honestly. The balls were made from the last of my rice stock and-"

Rose's eyes met mine as Paula continued to speak. Even with the veil covering her face, I could sense her amusement. The old lady sure liked to speak.

"-and of course, rice is so costly these days and-"

"No, it's not." Rose cut off Paula unexpectedly. "It's just 6 loharas for a kilogram."

Paula smile sadly. "That is the king's price, my dear, not the street price."

"Street price?" I repeated.

"Yes," Paula sighed, perhaps wondering why we were so unfamiliar with the term. "There's only one rice mill in the area and the price fixed for all of us is 25 loharas per kilogram."

_Double-dealing. _This was a fairly common problem in all countries but very difficult to catch. The price fixed by the Crown was disregarded and a new price was fixed on all essential goods to earn profit. Often, the guards themselves would be involved in such malpractices, making it's detection almost impossible.

"Thank you, Paula." Rose's voice was kind but with barely restrained anger. "Here's your money. We need to leave now."

Leaving behind a perplexed Paula, Rose and I walked out of the shop. Without a word, Rose started marching up the street. Knowing that the rice mill Paula mentioned must be her destination, I elected to follow her quietly, knowing that uttering a single word would be enough for her anger to boil over.

Soon, the large mill was in sight. Next to the mill was a lone shop which looked frightfully old. But it seemed to be in high demand, going by the long queue outside the shop.

Rose huffed and crossed her arms, glaring at the shop.

"Paula did say that it's the only rice mill in the area," I pointed out.

"More people to loot from," Rose muttered. "The longer we delay, more people get cheated."

"I agree," I tried to think of a workaround but every plan involved revealing our identities. Or breaking the rules. But there was one way-

Rose made a move to step forward but I stopped her.

"Rose," I didn't flinch when she glared at me. "I know you're itching for a confrontation but you'll risk revealing yourself."

"I can't stand-"

"I know you cannot," I said, hoping my soothing tone would calm her a title. "I have an idea."

Rose exhaled but nodded, eyebrows rising in confusion when I extracted her phone which she'd put in my pocket.

One call later, Rose, wearing a relieved smile, hurried over to the people outside the shop.

"Did you hear?" Rose asked a stranger at random, smiling hugely. "The king is giving away five kilograms of rice for just 4 loharas at the Palace entrance. I heard that it's first come, first serve."  
"What-?"

"Is it true?"

"We must hurry! Come, Alfred!"  
"I just got a call from my friend! It's true!"

"I heard there are only fifty packets of rice. We'd better hurry!"

"Yes. Come along now-"

"Go on!"

Like that, the store cleared in a matter of minutes.

"Mason's taking care of it," Rose said with a sly smile as we approached the entrance of the rice mill shop. "Clever idea, comrade!"  
"Glad to help," I replied, opening the door for her.

Rose's smile abruptly fell when she saw a richly dressed portly man sitting behind a mahogany table. He seemed to have been counting money but had frozen in the act, a confused frown marrying his pale skin at the sudden disappearance of his customers.

"I take it that you're the owner of this mill?" I asked even though it was pretty clear.

"Yes," the man said stiffly, his eyes darting between us suspiciously. "How can I help you?"

Rose's temper couldn't be contained at longer.

"You insolent fraud! Rose's choice of words were strangely archaic but her words conveyed the depth of her anger. The owner narrowed his beady eyes as Rose approached him, almost shaking with fury. "You dare cheat the people?"

"I haven't cheated anyone!" the owner's reply was equally angry. "Who the hell are you to accuse me of such a thing?"

Rose ignored the question. "You haven't cheated? Charging more than the King's price is against the law."

"The king's price?" The man laughed nastily. "Look here, little girl. The king's price is a joke. No one follows that anymore."

I grasped Rose's wrist lightly, to remind her to restrain herself. I knew this was Rose's fight and I had to let her handle it. But losing her temper would unnecessarily escalate the situation.

"Calm down," I told her softly. "We can sort this sort peacefully-"

Before I could finish, the man laughed scornfully. For a moment, I was thrown off by the simple fact that I'd been cut off while speaking. No one had ever dared to interrupt me before, certainly not fraud mill owners. Reminding myself that I was in disguise and had no actual power, I tugged Rose towards me as she started towards the man.

"Listen to your husband, girlie." The man told Rose spitefully. "Learn your place."

"My place?" Rose stilled completely. "My place, you say? Do you have any idea who I am?"

"The king's daughter?" The man mocked, finding humor at his supposed joke.

Rose threw back her veil, smirking when the man shrieked and toppled back, onto the floor.

"Why, yes." Rose said, her tone pleasantly mocking. "The king's daughter indeed."

* * *

**AN: Sooo...How was it? Liked it? Hated it? Review and let me know your thoughts :p**

**All I wanted to establish in this chapter was the growing attraction and how well they could complement one another and become the power couple we all know they can be. Did I manage to achieve that? :D**

**On a different note, given how long this story has been running, I have no clue about my audience at all! To remedy that, please do tell me which country you're from. I'd love to hear any custom or tradition that's specific to your community! Thank you :)**

**Oh, and which of you have been with me since the beginning? I'd love to express a heartfelt gratitude :)**


	11. Comforting similitude - Part 1

**Hi! :)**

**Thank you so much for the reviews, follows and favorites! Many of you seemed to think that last chapter was a cliff-hanger but it wasn't. What happens to the mill owner will be clarified but that scene was best left there, wasn't it? :p**

**Hope you guys enjoy this chapter. It's more of a filler than anything else but it highlights how far Rose and Dimitri have come :)**

* * *

_**Rose**_

"I hate running!" I huffed as I came to a stop beside Dimitri who seemed to be containing his amusement.

At my expense.

I was _not_ amused.

"Quit laughing." I demanded, resting my hands on my hips.

Sadly, Dimitri did not seem intimidated in the least. In fact, the smile that he'd been trying to contain broke through, lighting his features beautifully.

It was almost enough to make me forget my righteous indignation.

"You're no stranger to exercise," Dimitri noted, taking in my sad state of flushed cheeks and sweaty body. Despite the fact that it was evening time and the air was slightly chilly, I felt as though the sun was burning me. "Why is it that you despise running so much?"

I ignored the last part of his question because really, what could I have said? I did not like running, period.

"It may have been alright-" I said, snatching his water bottle from him. "-if you had not set such a fast pace."

Dimitri shrugged, watching as I gulped down water. When I stopped, he retied his laces and started jogging again but at a much slower pace.

Throwing his water bottle to the ground, I resigned myself to one more lap around the track before deciding to call it quits.

"Running builds endurance," Dimitri stated when I caught up with him. "It may save your life one day."

I frowned. "How so?"

Dimitri looked over at me without slowing down. "Someday, Rose, you may find yourself in a situation where you have no choice but to run away from danger. That may be the only way to save your life."

"I don't want to run away from danger," I retorted.

"It's not a question of wanting to or not," Dimitri said, his tone quiet. "Sometimes you have no choice."

I reflected on that before frankly stating, "I don't know if I can do that."

"You must," Dimitri said firmly. "Bravery is not always about staying and fighting the battle, Rose. It's about recognizing that you may have to give up the battle for the sake of winning the war."

I turned his words over in my head. I had to admit, his words made a lot of sense. It was about seeing the bigger picture, something I rarely did. I've always lived in the moment, thinking only about the present. But perhaps future was just as important...

"I didn't know there was a zen master in you, Comrade." I said lightly, not wanting him to know that his words had given me a lot to think about. "Do you give out life lessons often?"

Dimitri's lips turned up slightly. "It's something of a specialty of mine."

"I'll say."

We ran the last lap in silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts. That was one thing that was quite strange to me: how silence with Dimitri was so soothing. I wasn't good with silence at all but after the sword fight between us and the day spent in the city, something between us seemed to have settled. With that came comfort...and companionship. There was hardly a need to fill silences with words anymore.

"Any news of the mill owner?" Dimitri asked when we returned to Nakshatra after the run.

"He's charged with fraud and willful deceit of public." I answered smugly. "The news will soon be broadcast in the media. We're hopeful that people will come forward and complain about such men."

"Good," Dimitri nodded approvingly then glanced at his watch. "Ivan's due to call any minute. I'll see you tomorrow?"

Not quite wishing to let him go on his way, I casually remarked, "There's still two hours before sunset."

"Yes." Dimitri suppressed a smile and made a show of glancing at his watch again. "What are you thinking?"

I shrugged nonchalantly, refusing to analyze the giddy feeling building within me. "Treva falls is beautiful at this time."

The smile he'd been holding back broke through and I resisted the urge to forbid him from ever holding back his smiles. He was only just warming from the _Ice prince_ he'd been since his arrival two weeks ago and I didn't know how much I could push him.

"Give me fifteen minutes," was all he said when his phone lit up with a call.

"Meet me at the garage," I told him before he left.

Smiling involuntarily, I decided to take a bath when I registered something amiss.

Something that smelled like Chanel.

"I know you're there, Liss." I called, looking around the room. "Come out."

My best friend appeared from the hallway leading to the kitchen.

"How did you know I was there?" she demanded like usual, despite the fact that she should be used to it by now.

"Ninja secrets," I said mysteriously, laughing when she shot me a glare. The poor girl had never figured out that her perfume was strong enough to be detected by those who knew to look for it.

"Is there anything you need?" I asked, wanting to finish my bath in the fifteen minute time frame set by Dimitri.

Lissa smiled slyly at my question. "There's nothing I need, Rose. I simply came over to spend time with my best friend and what do I see?"

I groaned when Lissa giggled and started singing, "Rose is in loooove..."

"Shut up, Liss." I clamped my hand over her mouth to stop her atrocious singing. "You can't carry a tune so please don't attempt it."

Lissa pouted when I released her and stepped back. "But, Rose! You're bonding with your hubby to be!"

Groaning again, I dragged my fingers over my face and prayed for some patience. "Can you please be serious?"

"Not words I ever thought you'd use," Lissa noted innocently. "Dimitri Belikov must be rubbing off on you-"

"Alright, that's enough!" I said, cutting her off with a glare before striding up the stairs, knowing Lissa would follow.

"Okay, I'll stop it-" Lissa said when I walked into my bedroom. "-if you tell me what's going on."

"Nothing," I said, collapsing on my bed with a sigh. "We...we're getting to know each other."

"And?" Lissa prompted, sitting down beside me.

"And-" I hesitated then reached for my phone. "Hang on a second."

I typed a quick message to Dimitri, asking him to meet me after half an hour. The reason I gave him was my need to have a bath but really, I just wanted to talk to Lissa about everything. I'd barely been able to speak to Neal and Lissa after Dimitri's arrival and I needed one of them to listen.

So, as I soaked in my bathtub, I told her everything that had passed between Dimitri and I.

"I'm surprised at how patient he's been with you," Lissa said with a small smile when I finished talking.

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

Lissa shrugged delicately. "We all know how difficult you can be, Rose. In this case, you specifically wanted Dimitri to see that side of you. I'm just surprised that he's taken it so well."

I gaped at her. "Did you not hear me correctly? We've had numerous arguments since his arrival-"

"Of course you were bound to clash, what with your widely different personalities!" Lissa remarked. "You didn't help matters when you blindly accused him of sleeping with Madhri."

I scowled at her. "I may have been hasty to jump into conclusions but Liss, he's no better! The way he spoke to me, such condensation-"

"That was before he got to know you," Lissa insisted. "The way you both have been interacting these days seems friendly enough."

I sighed, leaning back on the tub. Lissa sat on a stool nearby, watching me keenly, letting me draw my own conclusions.

"Fine," I admitted. "He's not so bad once you get to know him."

Not so bad?

I didn't want to admit it to Lissa but I was somewhat impressed by him. The way he'd managed the situation with the owner of the rice mill...suffice to say, he held me back from losing it that day. Of course, I'd heard of his popularity before I met him and I knew that he was someone widely admired for his good governance skills. But that day in the city, I'd seen it first hand. The way he'd gotten the people to leave the scene, the way he'd dealt with- everything, really.

But that was just the icing on the cake. Of course, I admired his honesty, the way he'd handled my unconventional ways and actually seemed to admire my stubborn disposition but what had actually softened me towards him was how much he understood me.

Once we'd decided to work things out between us, Dimitri and I had taken to meeting regularly at dusk to _talk._ I'd discovered that he was so much like me in so many aspects and seemed to be one of the rare people who actually understood why I did things the way I did. What was more, he seemed to share my beliefs though our approaches were widely different. I just-well, we just _fit _together, as friends if nothing else.

'Friends' was good.

"Of course, it's not all sunshine and roses from here on," I said out loud, following my train of thought. I ignored Lissa's giggle when I said _roses._ "Though we're not arguing like before, we still have many things to work out. His _coldness,_ for example-"

"-is a perfect complement to your inferno of a temper." Lissa noted.

I huffed but acknowledged it. "Maybe so but Liss, he's so uptight. Not always but ever so often, he acts like he's untouchable, as though nothing matters. He's so...so _aloof._"

Lissa laughed suddenly. "I'm sorry! You say problems but all I can see is how exactly opposite he is to you. He complements you, accept that."

I snorted. "He vexes me so and I'm sure he thinks the same about me. We might frustrate each other to death."

Lissa laughed. "I'd love to see that. But you do realize everything you've said is only the fine print. The main conditions have always been that he doesn't restrict your freedom or insult you by having affairs."

"I've not exactly spoken to him about it," I said carefully. "I'm pretty sure he won't reduce me to a trophy wife but how far he's willing to give me a free reign is something to be discussed. As for affairs," I sighed, rubbing my eyes. "I have to ask him about them. If he can promise me that he won't entertain thoughts of second marriages and such, then there's hope for this betrothal."

* * *

_**Dimitri**_

"Could you drive slower?" I asked Rose cautiously, eyeing the speedometer. "You'll get us both killed, Rose."

Rose shot me a look full of mirth before turning back to the road.

"Why do I bother?" I muttered rhetorically as I leaned back in my seat. We were on the way to Treva waterfalls with a handful of guards traveling in a single black car behind us. Rose had downsized the guard despite Mason's insistence. But what use were guards when the menace was in your car as the driver?

"Chill, Comrade." Rose had left the windows down, the wind whipping her hair behind as a nearly maniacal grin covered her face. She seemed drunk on speed and the image was strangely...exciting. She looked like a wild goddess, a crazy one at that.

It was disconcerting to think that it had been her wildness that had made me wary of her when we first met, her recklessness a cause for concern. But after everything that had happened, I'd be the crazy one if I questioned her beliefs and her devotion to her people. In her own way, Rose was everything a queen should be.

"I suppose I should slow down," Rose said, glancing in the rear view mirror. "Don't want to attract too much attention."

"I'm glad you think so," I said simply.

"Mock me all you want, grandpa." Rose sniffed, "But there's nothing quite like driving at such speed."

"There's also nothing like getting killed in a road accident," I said sarcastically.

Rose shot me a look that was almost proud. "Look at you, bringing out the claws. I'm a bad influence."

I turned away from her to contain a grin.

"I wonder how you'll be ten years from now," Rose said, slowing the car as we encountered traffic. "Ten years of my influence..."

"I shudder to think about that," I eyed the speedometer but there was no danger there. Rose had really slowed down to a normal speed.

There was a small pause.

"So," Rose started hesitantly. "Our engagement..."

I nodded slowly. "Day after tomorrow."

"So soon," Rose murmured, biting her lip.

I tore my eyes away from her to look out of the window. "My mother says it's an auspicious day."

"You need to get back to Russovia soon," Rose said intelligently. She'd figured out why the engagement was pushed up even though none of us had told her. The engagement had actually been scheduled for next week but Ivan had reluctantly confessed that I was needed in Magadha. I had no choice but to attend to my duty.

"You're right," I told Rose. "Abe told me you were okay with this..._shift_ of dates."

Rose nodded once, biting down on her lip again. Was she even aware of what she was doing?

Taking a right turn from the highway, Rose drove down a narrow road which cut through a forest.

"What is it, Rose?" I asked, knowing that she wanted to say something.

Rose met my eyes briefly before asking, "Are you sure about going through with this -betrothal?"

I arched an eyebrow, wondering what exactly was going through her head. "Why do you ask?"

Rose exhaled, eyes fixed firmly on the road even as I turned to watch her. "I don't know. It's just-we're almost strangers, Dimitri. Isn't it natural to have reservations?"

"I suppose it is," I said carefully, trying to understand her mood.

"So you're okay with it?" Rose questioned hesitantly. "You're okay with _me_?"

"Are you?"

"I asked you first," Rose smirked.

"I didn't say no for various reasons," I said, not answering her question directly. "The main reason being my father. This betrothal was arranged by him and breaking it means breaking a promise given by my father. I couldn't do that, couldn't slight his memory like that."

Rose nodded. "I didn't say no because..."

"Because?"

"It's our duty, isn't it?" Rose asked, looking away from the road to meet my eyes for a brief moment. She said the very sentence running through my mind at that moment. "It's what's best for our countries."

"It's the right thing to do," I agreed, once again struck by our similar sense of duty. We both wanted to do what was best for our country, even if it meant marrying strangers._ They come first._

"But what if," Rose hesitated again. "What if we're not good together? What if it becomes impossible to live together, let alone rule?"

I sighed. "Honestly, Rose. I have the same questions. But only time can answer them."

Rose nodded solemnly. "So we're going through with this?"

I smiled involuntarily. "Yes."

Rose's answering smile was beautiful. "Good."

* * *

**AN: Sooo...filler chapter. But an important one. Hope you guys liked it. The next chapter is the immediate continuation of this one and hopefully will be up within a week :D**

**Leave me a review and let me know what you thought of this chapter :)**


	12. Comforting similitude - Part 2

**Hi! :)**

**Thanks for the follows, favorites and of course, the beautiful reviews! I hope you like this chapter :)**

* * *

_**Rose**_

Dimitri's eyes were fixed on the majestic waterfalls in front of us. If you didn't know him, you could never say that he was impressed. _But he was. _

The_ treva_ waterfalls had never not impressed a person.

Especially not when the view was from a secluded platform on the mountain opposite the falls.

While I did feel slightly guilty over the fact that our visit had resulted in the public being banned from the vicinity of the falls for an hour or so, I knew that there was no other option. When Neal and I visit the place as we do so often, we generally turn it into an opportunity to interact with the public, obliging the requests for selfies and conversations. But Dimitri was a visiting monarch and we couldn't compromise his security for anything.

"Rose?" Dimitri called quietly, drawing my attention back to him.

"Hmm?"

He turned to look at me, the fading light of the sun illuminating his profile from behind. It made him look like some sort of angel, pure and mighty and oh, so gorgeous.

"It's beautiful," he said softly.

I resisted the urge to say, _"Yes, you are." _Sighing, I nodded with a small smile.

Turning back to watch the falls, I was struck by an idea.

Would he go through with it? If nothing else, this would truly reveal the extent of my recklessness. Did I want that?

Oh, yes!

"Are you up for something...unconventional?" I asked him nonchalantly.

His tone was curious and open. "What are you thinking?"

Without turning to look at him, I pointed to the falls. "See the place where the river plunges off the cliff?"

"Yes."

Smirking, I declared, "I want to go there."

His reply was instantaneous. "Why?"

I smothered a smirk. "I want to stand at the precipice of the waterfall and gaze down at the world."

He didn't say anything for a moment. When I chanced a glance at him, I was not greeted with a _Rose-is-crazy_ look that I'd been expecting. In fact, his eyes held a thoughtful, calculating glint.

His next words stunned me. "How do we get up there?"

I narrowed my eyes, sure that he was joking. "Seriously?"

He actually_ laughed! _

"Huh." I grinned, looked at him appreciatively. "Who knew there was a young soul buried underneath all that ice and zen master wisdom?"

He shot me a look but otherwise ignored my comment. "Shall we go then?"

"Follow me, Your Majesty."

After a quick argument with Mason, we set off with no guards trailing us. It was tough to convince Mason to not follow us but there was no way I wanted them trailing behind us. Dimitri was great company but only when he wasn't around strangers. Besides, it would be awkward to have guards eavesdropping on our conversation.

"How did you manage to convince him to not follow us?" Dimitri asked, nodding to Mason.

"I told him we'd be trekking through the forest, following a path very people know about," I replied, leading the way to a bridge that would take us to the mountain that river Treva plunged from.

The bridge was considered too dangerous and so the public wasn't allowed on it, save for a few that provided appropriate medical certificates. This was not for the fainthearted.

"Don't worry," I told Dimitri as I stepped onto the narrow bridge. "The path's safe."

"I don't think I can worry about anything at the moment," he replied frankly, a relaxed look on his face as we walked down the bridge. The bridge was quite close to the falls, spraying us with water as we walked closer to the mountain.

I had to agree with him. This was a surreal experience, more so because it was Dimitri Belikov by my side as we walked down a bridge dangerously close to the magnificent waterfall at dusk.

I laughed even as the bridge shook slightly. I was almost fully drenched in water, the spray light and refreshing on my face. The drop from the bridge was sharp and deep but that just added to the excitement. There's nothing, nothing in the world quite like the adrenaline rush you get when you try something dangerous and risky.

Dimitri seemed to agree with me, which was a little shocking. His expression said it all. I wondered if he'd ever done something like this before. While I couldn't imagine him being a reckless teenager, he gave off a vibe that said he would laugh at the face of danger, much like I was doing at the moment.

I stopped suddenly, turning to face Dimitri who shot me a puzzled look.

"Why are we hurrying?" I questioned him. "We have all the time in the world."

Dimitri smiled a full smile. "We have a half an hour before sun sets, Rose. Shouldn't we be moving if we're to reach the top?"

"Nah," I waved dismissively. "Fifteen minutes are enough, give or take."

"Well then," he tipped his face up to catch the spray square on the face. His casual t-shirt clung to his body like a second skin, his hair free and framing his face in a drenched curtain. With the light shower of water trailing down his body, he was a quite a sight himself.

A mouth watering sight.

Women must be throwing themselves at him on regular basis and if they saw him now...

Hot damn! This was too much.

"Promise me something?" I blurted out.

Dimitri arched an eyebrow as he looked down at me.

Well, there was no backing out now. Might as well say it.

"Promise me that you won't have affairs behind my back," I told him, my tone strict. "After marriage," I clarified, just in case.

He sighed softly, looking almost hurt. "Do you think I would?"

"It's not about what I think, Dimitri." I glanced away from him, trying to find the right words. "I need you to promise me that you won't."

Dimitri's long, graceful fingers came up to gently turn my face back to him. His expression was open, honest. "I promise I won't. I would never do that."

I nodded but wasn't quite finished yet. "I don't want to know about your past affairs but-"

"-there are none to speak of," he interrupted, his words shocking me.

"None?" I questioned again.

"Is your answer any different?" he asked with an amused smile as though he knew my answer.

It was then I understood. _He was so much like me..._

I returned his smile. "What's your reason? No time? Too much effort?"

"Both," he replied before eyeing me curiously. "They have a similar oath in Loha then?"

I laughed. "Yup. The only rule I've followed, I suppose. '_Thou shall not have lustful dalliances and shall remain pure until thine wedding day_' and all that tosh."

It was slightly embarrassing to talk about vow of purity with your betrothed but it had to be said. It was good to know Russovia too had such a vow in place for the ruling family.

"It's slightly different for Russovian royalty," Dimitri remarked. "The vow speaks of remaining true to your life partner. No one but your intended."

"If there's more than one life partner?" I asked, observing him keenly.

"Then it might be stretched," Dimitri replied evenly before leaning closer. "But I don't intend to find out."

It was getting harder to breath. All I managed was a soft, "oh?"

Dimitri gently took my right hand in his. "Rose, I promise you, there will not be a second marriage. I despise that tradition with all my heart."

"No second marriage even if the situation forces it?" I clarified.

"Not even then," he said solemnly before leaning back. "I cannot do to anyone what my father did to my mother."

With heavy pauses and a lot of hesitation, Dimitri explained how his father's second marriage had broken his mother. I got a distinction impression that he'd never spoken about it before, choosing instead to bottle it up. I couldn't explain why I felt so happy to have Dimitri trusting me enough to speak about it.

It was...reassuring, to say the least.

I almost felt bad for making him talk about something that was obviously painful. I could have stopped him, allowed him to savor this moment of absolute peace but I needed to know why he would never be okay with another marriage. Also, he clearly needed to get it off his chest.

For a moment, I was struck by the thought that Dimitri might never be open about his feelings, even after our marriage. He was the kind of person who would rarely speak about himself, choosing instead to bottle up his feelings and emotions. I had my work cut out for me if I wanted him to relinquish his tight control over his emotions.

But yet, here he was, opening up to me.

If this wasn't progress, what was?

When he finished, we both stood quietly, looking over at the beautiful right of the roaring waterfalls. I was still trying to digest everything I'd heard.

"Olena didn't deserve that," I said, picturing Olena's kind face. "She's just so..._good._"

"She is," Dimitri agreed, his tone heavy

"But-" I paused, only continuing when Dimitri raised an eyebrow, silently urging me to continue. "You love your father. I know you do. But the way you spoke about him just now..."

Dimitri's dark eyes hooded, closing in his emotions.

That's when I knew I'd hit a wall; I wouldn't get anything more from him.

He proved my thought correct when he said as much.

Leaving him be, I released his hands, having almost forgotten that I'd been holding them. The moment I let go, I realized that I was as drenched as him and incredibly cold. Strangely, I hadn't noticed it until now.

"Come on," I said after a moment, pushing away from the railing and walking up the bridge. "The view's better at the top."

* * *

_**Dimitri**_

The journey forward was comfortable, though the path was not. Pushing aside branches and bushes, we made our way through the thick vegetation. Rose seemed to know the way through the forest and I hoped her navigation skills were better than her driving skills.

She kept me distracted, not allowing me to dwell on the grim topics we'd discussed before. Her incredible sense of humor had me laughing more that I'd ever laughed in years.

I had a feeling that I would never have a dull day in the future. Rose was enough to brighten the gloomiest of moods.

She'd already upturned all conventions I'd believed in and I knew, I knew with absolute certainty that our marriage would wreak havoc on my neat and organized world. Rose was like a tornado, uprooting everything in range. I knew I could be safe, away from the storm if I wanted to but I couldn't seem to tear myself away.

"We're almost there," Rose said, pulling me out of my thoughts.

We'd reached the banks of the river. As we walked along the river, the roar of the waterfalls increased in volume. It was almost deafening when we approached the point where the river leaped off the cliff. The water rushed forward with force, creating swirls and filling the area with spray. There were some huge rocks at the very edge on the mountain, rocks moist with river water and easily approachable from the banks but incredibly dangerous to step on.

My heart leapt to my throat when Rose shot me an smirk before nimbly jumping onto a huge rock standing at the very edge of the river.

"Rose!" My chastisement was unfortunately weakened by relief that she was still in one piece.

I exhaled harshly, running my fingers through my hair as Rose peered down from the top of the hills. She turned to face me, an exuberant grin on her face, her eyes bright with mischief and excitement. "Come join me, Comrade! You have to see this."

Warily, I eyed the rock, judging its slipperiness and assessing if it could hold both of our weights. Deeming it safe, I carefully made my way over to Rose.

The moment I joined her, she pulled me closer to the edge, wordlessly gesturing down.

There were no words to describe the beauty of the mighty river as it plunged down the cliff.

It was an incredible sight, breathtaking in its magnificence and power.

Standing there at the edge of the mountain, at the precipice of the world and the tipping point of the river, I was overcome by sheer thrill and excitement unlike ever before. As Rose had pointed out, there was nothing quite like adrenaline rush.

In tune with my feelings, Rose cupped her hands around her mouth and whooped happily. Laughing, I let myself enjoy this moment, a moment like nothing I'd ever experienced before.

Rose took a small step forward but I pulled her back, worried about the slippery surface on which we were standing. Even though my pull was gentle, Rose wobbled on her feet unsteadily for one heart-stopping moment. Luckily, she fell back on me.

Instinctively, my arms wrapped around her waist to steady her, pulling her closer to me and away from the edge.

For a moment, I was filled with relief but it was abruptly cut off when Rose's wide eyes locked with mine.

Suddenly, nothing existed in the world but her.

The roar of the waterfalls, the light of the setting sun, the slippery surface of the rock, even the cold dampness of our clothes faded, melting from the heat that had sprung between us.

Rose was cradled against me, so close that I had troubled breathing. Her lithe body was warm against mine, her eyes electric, reeling me into the endless pool of brown. Her skin seemed to be soft and dewy, glowing when the rays of the sun touched her. Her hair was like soft silk, the tips brushing against my arms. Slowly, I loosened an arm from around her waist and brought it up to catch a strand of that silky hair, winding it between my fingers. Her eyes didn't stray from mine but she bit her lip softly, drawing my attention. Her full lips were a soft pink and so, so inviting.

She was close now, very close. So close that I could clearly see that her lips were trembling slightly. Did she want me? Did I want her?

Yes, I realized. I did want her...

Her eyes slid shut in anticipation. I drew her even closer, her breath fresh on my face...her lips almost touching mine. It was such sweet agony...

Until it was abruptly broken.

A shrill ringing sound brought me back to my senses. Quickly, I let go of Rose, moving a step backward to be safe.

It was her phone which was ringing.

Taking a quick breath, Rose answered the call but her eyes were on me. I couldn't bring myself to look away, thinking of what would have happened if we hadn't been interrupted-

It was because I'd been watching her that I could immediately see the change in her, the stiffening of spine and onset of panic. Worried, I reclaimed the step I'd take away from her, my heartbeat quickening again.

Something was wrong.

Rose slowly moved the phone away from her ear, putting it on speaker.

"Your Majesty?" Mason's anxious voice sounded though the phone.

"What's wrong?" I asked quickly.

"The Lohan government website has received a...threatening video."

"What sort of threatening video?" I asked.

"A video showing bomb blast in Gayodha," Mason replied.

"Gayodha is north of Devagiri," Rose clarified almost robotically.

"It's not a...hoax?" I asked carefully, trying to wrap my head around it.

"No, sir." Mason replied grimly.

I exhaled sharply.

"No one's dead," Mason continued. "But many are injured. The video says that the blast is a warning."

"Do you who sent it?" I asked, a sneaky suspicion crawling under my skin.

"_Traasa_," was Mason's hushed reply. "It was sent by traasa."

* * *

**AN: Tan-ta-dan! :D **

**So, traasa's back. Rose and Dimitri almost kissed and both are oh, so close...Happy ending? Nah :D**

**Did you like it? Did ya? Leave me a _review_ and let me know! Or else, I'll feel sad and won't update soon :p**

**Until next time :)**


	13. Call of duty

**Hey! :)**

**Since I'm not able to see the newest reviews, I haven't gotten around to replying yet so I'll just say it here: thank you all for the reviews, follows and favorites. I'm glad you liked the previous chapter :)**

**This is quite a lengthy chapter. Enjoy! :)**

* * *

**Quick note: **

**Loha: Rose's country**

**Nakshatra: Rose's private palace**

**Russovia: Dimitri's country**

**Traasa: A militant organization intent on harming the Russovian royalty**

**Yavana: Russovia's neighbor and enemy, supplies traasa with money and arms.**

**Gayodha: Lohan city attacked by Traasa**

* * *

_**Dimitri**_

"They have the nerve to threaten my citizens," Abe's voice was low and dangerous, a murderous glint in his eyes. "- just to tell us that they don't approve of the marriage? I don't think they know who they've messed with."

"The problem is more serious than what we'd thought initially," I replied, leaning back on my seat. I made sure my posture was relaxed, even though I was anything but. "The fact that they've entered the Lohan territory is worrying."

_Traasa_ had never done anything as serious as a bomb blast before. It'd been Yavana who'd been responsible for the attacks on border villages in Russovia. We knew that Yavana was helping_ traasa._ But what influence did Yavana have when it came to Loha? Yavana and Loha weren't neighbors. So _traasa _must have acted alone here.

"We have a lot of work to do," Eddie said thoughtfully, his eyes roaming around the library where we'd assembled. It was a large but cozy space and utterly deserted on Abe's orders. Tapestries hung from dark walls with huge bay windows and the massive doors sealed shut. We were in the ground floor of the library, the staircase from upper floors tapering into the niche were we sat.

I usually associated libraries with a sense of tranquility but it wasn't so at the moment.

My eyes drifted over to Neal whose jaw was clenched resolutely, a look that I'd seen far too many times on Rose's face.

"I'm going to Gayodha," he declared quietly, in a tone that left no room for arguments.

Abe started to protest but Neal wouldn't hear it. "I'm going and that's it. I need to be there."

Eddie sighed. "He's right, Abe."

Abe frowned, unwilling to send his son into a volatile situation.

"Let him go," I told Abe, knowing that Neal wouldn't budge. Really, how similar were the siblings? It was a little eerie. "Neal's presence in Gayodha will boost the morale of the people."

Abe pondered for a minute, looking at his son intensely. Neal met his gaze unflinchingly until Abe nodded.

"Great," Neal said with a shadow of a grin. He rose up from his seat and pulled out his phone, already planning his trip. "I'd better get going then."

With a brief goodbye, Neal left the room.

* * *

_**Rose**_

I paced back and forth in my room, unable to sit still.

It was all my mother's fault, really.

The moment Dimitri and I had entered the palace, Eddie had whisked him away to some top secret meeting. Mom forbade me from following, briskly pulling me away to Nakshatra. My protests fell on deaf ears, as it usually happened while dealing with my monster of a mother.

My only solace was currently lounging on the sofa, her head buried in a book.

"It's not fair," I repeated for what seemed to be the hundredth time.

"I know, Rose." Sydney said patiently as she turned a page of her book. She'd been listening to my complaints for the past hour. If my grumbling bothered her, she didn't say.

I couldn't get over the unfairness of the situation. I had every right to be in that meeting, a right to know what decisions were being taken to tackle _traasa _which was a threat to both my citizens and my future citizens. Hell, I should be part of the decision making! Both countries were my own, seeing as how I was the princess of one country and future queen of another.

In fact, I had more right than any of them to decide what to do about traasa.

"What do you think the warning is?" I wondered, remembering traasa had mentioned the blast to be a warning.

Sydney looked up at my question, her eyes bright as she thought. If anyone could find the answer, it was her.

She was an alchemist after all.

Alchemists were a group of intellectuals whose main job was to advice the king of Loha. They were highly learned and well versed in all subjects. To become an alchemist, you'd have to undergo a series of difficult tests, so hard that we only had around eleven alchemists in the whole country.

Despite her young age, Sydney was considered to be one of the brightest minds and hence was chosen to be my adviser/assistant.

But Sydney was more than just an adviser.

She was a friend.

I often trusted her judgement more than my own but didn't always listen to her.

"I think it's about the marriage," Sydney said quietly.

"Hm?"

"Think about it, Rose," Sydney leaned forward, her book forgotten. "Why would traasa bother with Loha?"

"Because of the marriage alliance," I answered, understanding her point.

Sydney nodded. "Yes. They know that an alliance with Loha would undoubtedly strengthen King Belikov's rule. They're unhappy over it. So, the blast was a warning to Loha. At the very least, it was to express their unhappiness with this marriage alliance."

"They can go to hell." I retorted, sitting down beside her.

Leaning my head back against the couch, I let my thoughts wander. "What if they target innocents again? Just to express their unhappiness or whatever it is they're aiming to achieve?"

"I'm sure your father won't let it happen," Sydney said, her tone uncharacteristically soothing.

Wanting to distract myself from the terrible possibilities, I enquired about Lissa's whereabouts.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you." Sydney said apologetically. "Christian's back. The mission was successful."

I sat up in surprise. "He's back? Why didn't he come to meet me?"

"He did," Sydney said with a smile. "But you were out with King Belikov."

"Call him Dimitri," I said automatically, unlocking my phone. Sure enough, I had about eight messages from Christian.

"So that's why Lissa's missing?" I rolled my eyes as Sydney nodded.

"How long do you think they'll avoid each other?" Sydney asked with a small smirk.

I couldn't help but laugh. "It's been two years since their breakup, hasn't it? I wouldn't hold my breath for a joyful reunion any time soon."

"I know it isn't likely..." Sydney trailed off when the front door opened and my brother slipped inside quietly.

"Neal," I breathed, standing up and walking over to him, hoping he'd tell me what was going on.

Neal's blue eyes, the same shade as our mother's but a thousand times more warmer, softened as he strode forward to envelop me in his arms.

This was why Neal was my favorite. No one, not Dad, not even Lissa came close to it. He didn't need any explanations to understand exactly what I was going through. He had some weird older brother instinct that automatically alerted him to my less-than-happy mental state. He was always there to solve everything and make all problems go away.

If I had a knight in shining armor, it would be my brother.

With Neal, I could still be as childish as I felt like or as mature as I wanted. It was a kind of bond that I couldn't put into words.

Even now, he knew how strung up I was, how conflicted. I often felt like the luckiest girl in the world to have such a brother but I'd never tell him that. Neal had a tendency to let it go to his head and would remain infuriatingly smug for a long time.

"Rose," Neal said softly, patting my head gently. "I know you're going to confront Dad and demand answers. You deserve to know everything. But remember, he's stressed too. Whatever he's planning, he's doing it for your good, okay?"

"Okay," I mumbled, pulling away to look at him. "I suppose you're leaving for Gayodha."

Neal nodded, his eyes blazing with determination.

I bit my lip, resisting the urge to ask him to be careful. We never told each other than, knowing fully well that it would be hypocritical.

So, I settled for a smirk. "When you catch those bastards, give them hell from me."

Neal grinned reluctantly. "Will do, kiddo. I'll see you soon."

He left after pressing a small kiss to my forehead.

I knew then what I had to do.

I had to gatecrash the meeting.

* * *

_**Dimitri**_

Eddie opened a blue file and perused the contents before looking up at me and Abe. "The search for the offenders is on. They must still be in Loha so they'll be caught before nightfall."

"Tighten the border security in all directions," I suggested. "We can't allow them to escape. It might have been the neighbor countries that helped them into Loha."

Abe nodded. "Eddie, instruct the police to scan all foreigners staying currently staying in our land. Look for any suspicious activity. We've to catch them before they pull a similar stunt again-"

"-and extract information from them," I continued. "Till then, inform your citizens to be in high alert as well. Forbid any events of mass gathering to prevent anymore casualties."

"We can't allow Rose to go out anywhere without proper protection," Eddie told Abe. "Increase her guard."

I knew that Rose wouldn't like it. But it had to be done. If _traasa's_ motive behind the bomb blast was to express unhappiness over our marriage, it wouldn't be a stretch to think that Rose was likely a target.

"Increasing her guard may not be enough," Abe said grimly. "I'm afraid she can't leave the palace grounds until the criminals are caught."

"Not happening, old man." chimed a very familiar voice from above.

_Rose._

Turning my head, I caught sight of her at the top of the staircase that descended from the first floor.

She'd changed into a soft sunset-orange gown that emphasized her dangerous allure. Knowing her, she would have chosen the colors for that very purpose.

She looked like a tropical flower in this dark library.

A flower that could kill you.

Her flashing eyes swept over each of us as she descended the staircase elegantly, her gown swishing gently around her form. She looked like a true queen, straight backed, proud and _majestic._

A small sardonic smile resided on those cherry red lips as she came to a stop in front of us. "If you think you can confine me, you've got another thing coming."

* * *

_**Rose**_

"Rose, you are not supposed to be here," Eddie said, completely surprised to see me.

"I'm great at doing things I'm not supposed to," I replied, shrugging. My voice was carefully nonchalant. "But that's not important."

My eyes rested on my esteemed father. "What _is _important is the fact that you're taking decisions for me, deciding what I should and shouldn't do. You know that I despise it, old man."

"It has to be done," Dad said without a hint of remorse. "Don't fight me on this, Rosemarie."

I scoffed at the use of my full name.

"That might have worked when I was eight," I remarked coolly, adding a sarcastic smile.

Dad's eyes hardened.

"Let's all calm down for a minute," a calm voice cut through the tension. Dimitri.

He rose from his chair gracefully, the movement both laid back and quick. Heat rose up my cheeks when his eyes met mine, taking me back to the near kiss averted by Mason's call.

I was glad that the library was relatively dark.

Dimitri gestured to the chair he'd just vacated. "Sit down, Rose."

Eddie made to give his chair to Dimitri but he politely declined it, his clear gaze fixed on me.

Without consciously realizing it, I moved it sit down on the chair he held out for me. He remained standing behind me, his long fingers lightly grasping the back of my chair.

"Now," Dimitri said. "Let's discuss the issue."

"There's nothing to discuss," I said shortly, resisting the urge to cross my arms over my chest. "I will not be confined to the palace."

"Rose, no one is trying to confine you," Eddie said with a hint of exasperation in his tone. "We just want to keep you safe."

"I'm capable of taking care of myself," I retorted.

"No one's denying it," Eddie reassured me. "But you have to admit the a bomb blast demands for caution."

"And precaution," Dad added, speaking for the first time since I'd sat down. "We think traasa's aim to prevent this marriage."

"I know that," I said briskly, earning surprised looks which I ignored. "But do you think locking me up will help? They'll just target innocents again."

"You'll not be locked up, Rose." Eddie said, a smile threatening to break out on his face despite the grim discussion going on.

"We will ensure that no one will be targeted again," Dad stated. "We just want you to stay protected until the criminals are caught."

"But-"

"Rose," Dimitri's quiet voice interrupted me. I craned my neck to look up at him. "Listen to them. To us. We just want you to be safe."

"Even so-"

He cut me off with an apologetic smile. "You just have to stay put in the palace till the criminals are caught. It'll be few days at the most. Trust me, it would be a great relief to know that you're safe."

Something about that last sentence was sweet.

"Think of it this way," he continued. "If you stay in the palace, all resources which would otherwise be used for your protection can be used to safeguard the citizens."

"Damn you, Comrade." I muttered before agreeing reluctantly. It seemed as though Dimitri had learned exactly how to phrase things to get me to agree with him.

I almost regretted my decision when Abe smiled triumphantly.

"I'm glad you agreed," Dimitri told me after the meeting, when we were leaving the library together.

"I'm not doing this because I fear for my safety," I reminded him. It was somehow important that he knew it.

I got a half smile in return.

"I know," he said, coming to a standstill at the end of the corridor. He needed to go up the stairway and I needed to cross the garden and walk to Nakshatra.

I turned to face him, rubbing my arms to ward off the chill. Night had fallen; the lamps were lit and the temperature was down. Soft wind blew strands of dark brown hair onto his face that was now filled with an odd sort of tension.

"Be careful, okay?" he said softly. "We don't know what _traasa_ is capable of. They seem to be growing stronger, more dangerous. They're a threat to anyone associated with the Russovian empire and that includes the future queen. So please, be very careful."

I could tell that he was genuinely worried because the emotion had managed to bleed through that neutral mask of his. He was worried for his people, his family and well...for me.

"I promise I'll not step out of the palace grounds," I told him because that was evidently what he wanted to hear. "I will be careful."

There was that half smile again. "Good night, _Roza_."

With that, he turned away to walk up the stairs, leaving me smiling at the nickname he'd given me years ago in the Ozera party.

When I returned to Nakshatra after the meeting, I found that Sydney had disappeared. But she seemed to have left her book behind.

Frowning at her uncharacteristic behavior, I picked up the book to keep it on my shelf when a letter fell out of it.

Giving into my curiosity, I picked up the letter, figuring it must not have been all that personal to Sydney if she'd leave it in her book. That woman was a stickler for keeping things in places where they belonged.

'_Dearest princess'_ was the first line.

Princess? Was this letter meant for me?

_I wouldn't have dared to write to you, Your Majesty, if it wasn't a matter of great importance. But it is. I couldn't stop myself. I just had to try. If not for me, then for my wife._

_You see, my wife has been ill for a few years now. Tuberculosis, they say. It's quite common in old age. Maybe it was to be expected, Your Grace, but it doesn't make it any less painful. The town doctors warned us that her chances of survival were less. But they gave her a year, princess. A year. After all we've been through together, I was told that my beautiful wife had only one year to live._

_We've lived happily despite our poverty. Despite the fact that we lost our eldest son to a brain disease just years after he was born. Despite the fact that we're only just farmers who have to work hard each day to earn our bread and butter. We've had each other and that's all that has ever mattered to us._

_I'm sorry to be bothering you with my story, Your Grace. The reason I'm writing to you is simple. My wife's one year is at an end. She's sick, very sick. I've tried my best to fulfill all her wishes but there is one wish that remains unfulfilled. _

_Her greatest wish is to meet you, Princess Rose._

_She absolutely adores you, madam. Whenever your interviews are scheduled to appear on the television, she goes to the local pub to watch it. There is an entry fees there, my lady. She earns the money she needs to watch your interview by working as a maid in the landlord's house. She has saved every newspaper clipping in which you've been mentioned. She thinks of you as her own daughter._

_I implore you, princess, please meet her. This is her last and greatest wish. I know it's too much to ask but please, please grace us with your presence. We live in Devagiri, in the town of Aanchal. Please forgive my impudence in asking you to visit us. I'm truly, truly sorry to bother you, especially when you are surely busy with your marriage preparations. But I had to try. I had to request this of you for my beautiful wife Vilaja. Please come, Your Grace. Please..._

_I do not have much hope but I'll be clinging to what little I have of seeing you here._

_Your loyal servant,_

_Fillian Ransham_

* * *

I peered around the gigantic clock tower at the palace grounds and carefully observed my surroundings. I was fairly confident that no one had seen me approaching the clock tower from Nakshatra. Even if they did, they'd evidently not suspected that it was me, the princess of Loha. They would've just seen an old woman in a long tribal skirt and a shawl covering her head and concealing her face except for the eyes. An old woman who had a hunched back, needing the support of a stick to walk properly.

"Ready?" Sydney asked from behind me.

I nodded, brushing aside the frail hair of my wig. My face was scratchy from all the fake wrinkles.

I fought the urge to walk faster as Sydney escorted me to the northern gates where two guards were on duty.

The northern gates were the smallest, not meant for vehicles. It was also the least guarded. Besides, the guards didn't exactly check those leaving the palace grounds, only those entering it.

"Purpose of visit?" A guard asked Sydney in a bored voice, barely sparing me a glance.

"The princess had summoned her," Sydney replied confidently.

I was proud of her facade. This was all her idea after all.

She'd told me that she had deliberately left her book at Nakshatra, hoping that I'd discover the letter inside. She'd been conflicted, not knowing if she wanted me to know about the letter or not. Telling me meant that I'd go to see the old couple and hence I'd be in supposed danger from traasa. Not telling me went against her conscience. So, she left it to fate.

When I told her I wanted to see Ransham couple, she'd come up with the idea of disguising me as an old woman.

The guard looked at me now. "Is your meeting with the princess over?"

I nodded slowly, keeping my eyes fixed on the ground.

"I'll escort her to her residence." One of the guards told Sydney.

No, no!

Sydney swallowed, "Um, no thank you. The princess asked me to escort her."

"Alright." The guard said stiffly before opening the gate for us.

As I walked out, I was hit by a strong feeling of regret. I was breaking my word to Dimitri. He had enough on his plate without his betorthed breaking protocol and exposing herself to danger.

But I have to do it.

I couldn't live with myself knowing that I'd denied a dying woman's wish just so I could remain safe. What sort of person would that make me? What kind of a princess?

I had no choice but to do this.

Sydney hailed a cab to take us to the Ranshams' house. Once we reached the town of _Aanchal_, we asked for directions and eventually found the house of the Ransham couple.

It was a dilapidated structure, almost on the verge of crumbling. But it was set at a picturesque spot, in the middle of a small farm.

We walked down the mud path, watching the crops swaying gently in the breeze and the trees laden with fruits. The bright rays of the sun made it all look heavenly.

It would be such a happy place if not for the crumbling house. Looking at it, I was struck by the mile long difference between our lives.

The royalty lived in sprawling mansions, having all comforts, both necessary and unnecessary. On the other hand, the farmers, the backbone of our country, couldn't even afford basic necessities.

With a heavy heart, I followed Sydney into an old shed beside the house to remove the extra effects, leaving me in a simple ensemble of jeans and shirt. Sydney bundled up the old clothes and promised to wait for me there.

When I knocked on the door, I heard the sounds of somebody wheezing and a low call of "Coming!"

The door opened to reveal an old man, most probably Mr. Rasham, the one who'd written the letter. He was tall, thin and balding with an exhausted look on his face. When he saw me, he's eyed widened impossibly.

"Mr. Ransham?" I asked gently.

"Princess?" he asked in disbelief, tears clouding his eyes. "You're _here! _You're really here."

I pressed my lips together to control my own tears. I've never been one to cry but there was something about seeing this old man's tears, something sad that told me life hadn't been easy on him. There was also something gratifying in those tears. He was happy to see me. And that...well, it meant a lot.

"How's your wife?" I asked him quietly. "Vijala?"

The old man sniffed. "She's the same as ever, Your Grace. She'll be so happy to see you."

Laughing a little as he wiped away his tears, he beckoned me inside. I had to bend a little to enter through the low door.

"I'm sorry for the state of my house, Your Majesty," Mr Ransham apologized. "I didn't ever think that you'd come here."

"It's okay," I assured him, taking in the cobwebs forming on the walls and on the sparse furniture. "Call me Rose, Mr Ransham."

"But...but-" he stuttered, looking at me in wonder.

I smiled, hoping to put him at ease.

"You're so kind," he said, nodding. "So, so kind to do this, Your Maj-" I narrowed my eyes playfully "-sorry, R-Rose. This way, please."

He led me to a small room at the back of the house.

"Look who's come to see you," he crooned to the small figure lying on the bed. "It's the princess herself."

The figure on the bed coughed a little and tried to turn towards me. Mr. Ransham helped her sit up.

"Princess?" the old woman called, squinting in my direction. "Is it really you?"

"Yes, it's me." I answered, moving to sit on the stool that had been placed near the bed.

"Oh god!" Mrs. Ransham gasped when she saw my face closely. "It is! It's princess Rose! Look, Fillian! Didn't I tell you she'd come? Didn't I tell you?"

Her excitement touched my heart. "I'm happy I didn't let you down."

"Let me down?" she asked in horror. "You could never let me down, dear. I know that you have a heart of gold."

She hesitantly touched my cheek.

"I'm not that great," I confessed, remembering how I'd broken my promise to Dimitri.

"Nonsense, Your Grace." She said vehemently.

"It's Rose," I corrected, laughing at her furious denial. "Call me Rose."

"Rose," she said slowly, testing it. "I'm so happy you came here. _So happy!_ I feel as if death could take me right now and I'd die a content woman."

"Don't say that," I protested. "You'll live for many more years."

She smiled sadly, with an indulgent look. "Forget about me, dear. Tell me, how are your marriage preparations going on?"

Again, I felt a stab to my heart when I thought about Dimitri. "It's going well. The engagement is on Tuesday, two days later. If you're feeling well enough, you should come. Both of you. I'll make the necessary arrangements."

"You're too kind, princess," Mr. Ransham said with a bright smile as he looked at his wife's excited face.

"Of course we'll come," Mrs. Ransham promised. "We want to meet your young man."

I grinned. Before I could say anything, Sydney appeared on the doorway.

"We've to go now, Rose." She said, her eyes betraying her anxiety.

I nodded and reluctantly stood up.

"Here," I put a wad of cash on Mr. Ransham's hand. "For Mrs. Ransham's treatment."

"No, no..." He tried to give it back to me.

"Please take it," I requested. "It's the least I can do." Looking at their hesitant faces, I added, "If you don't take, I'll see it as a personal offense."

Mrs Ransham smiled, "Thank you so much, Rose. For coming. You don't know how happy I am at this moment."

"I'm glad I came," I told her, smiling at them. "I'll see you both soon. Take care."

"Take care, princess." they echoed.

Nodding, I left the room with Sydney.

"What's wrong?" I asked her as soon as we were out of the house.

"They found out," Sydney replied shortly, her voice betraying her anxiety.

"Damn it." Taking my shawl from Sydney, I covered my face as we raced off to find a cab to take us back.

I didn't even want to think about what awaited me at the Palace.

* * *

**AN: Sorry for the constant POV switching! This chapter would, perhaps, be best served as two separate ones but I needed to end the episode at this point. Shit's about to hit the fan in the next chapter ;) **

**I'm almost sad that such a chapter may be posted around Christmas. Oh, well :p**

**In case I can't update before New Year, here's wishing you all a happy Christmas! I don't celebrate it so for all those like me, happy holidays :)**


	14. Repercussions

**Merry Christmas, everyone! :)**

**I regret having to post such a chapter on Christmas but the story must go on, right?! **

**I hope you enjoy this chapter...as much as you can, anyway :p**

* * *

_**Rose**_

"Princess?" The guard before me stuttered when I pulled the shawl away, revealing my face from my face. "You-"

I held up a hand, glancing between the two guards at the northern gate of the palace. "Let me through."

With a deep bow, the guards opened the gate for me.

Heads turned as I made my way to Nakshatra, Sydney a silent shadow behind me.

It was quite clear that everyone knew of my disappearance.

I was accustomed to being stared at, of course, but this was the first time I was uncertain about the consequences of my actions. My family, I could handle but Dimitri-?

Pushing away the impending sense of doom, I paused and looked at the people staring at me. They mainly consisted of guards and staff employed at the Palace, mixed with occasional secretaries of state and maybe even a few ministers and high lords. Unlike some countries, we didn't open the royal palace to the public.

But I had bigger worries to deal with at the moment. So, I forced a smirk onto my face and injected false confidence into my voice. "I hope you all didn't miss me too much. Now that I'm back, life can now go back to normal, yes?"

Almost everyone in my range of sight smiled, either in amusement or exasperation. If they didn't approve, no one had the guts to say it to my face.

"Chop, chop, people!" I clapped my hands. "Off you go now."

They scattered quickly, almost afraid that I'd punish those lingering. It often made me sad how much power I had over them. I wanted to be respected, yes but not feared. Never feared. But unfortunately, people never seemed to be able to shake off their nervousness when around royalty.

"Go home, Sydney." I told her as I began walking towards the Nakshatra. "You've been a massive help today. But now, you need to rest."

Sydney hesitated. "Will you be okay, Rose?"

I tried to smile. "Of course."

It had to be okay. I was just doing my duty, wasn't I?

"There you are!" My mother's angry voice was loud enough to scare away the flock of pigeons nesting on the huge oak tree next to the Nakshatra.

The little, angry, red haired mother of mine stood at the doorway, reminding me of the Dimitri's first night in Loha, when I'd dragged him to Nakshatra.

_Dimitri._

Taking a deep breath, I calmly walked past my mother and into the building. Whatever she wanted to say, she could say it like a civilized person.

"Don't disrespect me, young lady." Janine's voice was low and deadly but I ignored her, walking into my living room where my father was waiting.

His face was blank but his eyes were sharp as they watched me take a seat across him.

I made sure to maintain the same blankness on my face when my mother stormed into the room behind me.

"I cannot believe you!" were her first words. "Deliberately disobeying protocol, gallivanting across the countryside, tricking the guards, disobeying your parents...do you want me to go on?"

"I'm sorry, mother." I forced out, the words leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. I was not sorry, not at all. But I needed to calm her down. "There was a reason-"

"-I don't care," she shrieked, balling her hands. Dad didn't say a word, watching us quietly. "I don't care for your silly reasons. What was it this time, Rose? Bored of the palace? Did you want to escape your responsibilities? Or perhaps you wanted to escape the engagement itself?"

"What?" I asked her, shocked. I knew she'd be angry, yes but not so...unreasonable.

"I had a doubt from day one," she continued. "I couldn't believe you agreed to the engagement so easily. Now I know. You wanted the Belikovs to break off the engagement, didn't you? You wanted to show them how wild you are, how...how _disrespectful._ How unfit you are to be the queen of Russovia. You did this to sully your reputation, did you not? Or do you have an affair with some poor farmer's boy?"

"Enough!" I shouted, my own temper now inflamed. I didn't know when I'd leapt to my feet. "I will not hear anymore of this nonsense!"

"Nonsense-?" Janine sputtered but I cut her off.

"You've exceeded your own limits this time." I said, disgusted. "You always complain about my behavior, _mum,_ but you are a thousand times worse than I'll ever be."

Barely sparing a glance at my father, I marched out of the room, desperately trying to control the urge to hit something. How could she say all those things? Affair with a farmer? Those were the words of a mad woman, not the words of a mother. Did she even know-

My mind blanked for a second as my feet came to a standstill. Subconsciously I'd walked into my backyard which had always been my place of sanctuary.

But now, it wasn't much of a sanctuary as it was a battleground.

For there was a person waiting for me in the backyard.

His back was turned to me but I knew who it was, the one person I really did _not_ want to see at this moment.

"Dimitri," I breathed, a swarm of emotions rising within me at the sight of my future husband. Anger was the predominant emotion after my encounter with my mother. But mixed with that anger was sorrow, for the Ransham couple and for the implications this could have on my relationship with the man standing before me.

Dimitri turned to face me slowly, his posture rigid and hard.

"You're back," he said without any emotion.

His face was blank, not a good sign. His jaw muscle twitched as he crossed his arms; the free strands of hair that lay on his cheek did nothing soften the hard look he was giving me.

I exhaled and forced myself to move forward, towards him.

I wouldn't be intimidated. I wasn't at fault here. Sure, I did defy protocol and yes, I regret that I broke a promise to him but I had to do it.

I could never turn away from my duty.

"You don't regret it, do you?" Dimitri asked me suddenly, eyes narrowing as they took in my expression.

"I don't." I replied firmly. "I'd do it again if I had to."

He nodded slowly. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?"

"I'm sorry that I thought I knew you. I thought I understood you. It seems I was wrong."

"What are you-" My voice faltered when he held up his hand to stop my words. His face was still impassive.

"You broke your promise to me," he said calmly but I could hear an undertone of anger. And that, well, that made me angry.

First my mother, now him.

Everyone seemed to be angry with me without even asking me why I did it. Why did they not care to check if their anger was justified?

I'd expected it from my mother but Dimitri-?

Like he'd said, I thought he did know me, that he understood me because at some level, he was the same as me.

If he did understand me, why wasn't he bothering to ask for an explanation? Shouldn't he be able to understand that I'd done all this for a reason?

I must have imagined our easy rapport then. The connection between us must not have been strong, the shared sense of duty felt only from my side.

He didn't know me at all.

I couldn't say why this revelation was so painful but_ it was._ I'd thought that I'd finally met someone who could understand me but _no._

"I'm done," I told him, my voice nearly breaking. A sea of sadness seemed to be churning inside me. I felt _lost._ "I'm done trying to explain. You seem so hell bent on fixing the blame on me-"

"-That's because you are to blame, Rose!" He nearly shouted, eyes flashing in anger.

I jumped, taking a small step back. I'd never seen Dimitri angry. He was always calm, always the voice of reason. Now, he was anything but that. "You took off without telling anybody," he continued, his eyes locked with mine. "Despite the threat to your life, you left without so much as a warning. And that's not even the worst part."

I looked at him silently, alarmed by the emotions playing on his handsome face. Dimitri was always in control, always reigning back his emotions. But now, his anger preceded everything.

"What's worse is that I believed you," he told me, voice suddenly soft. I couldn't decide what was worse: his anger or his weary tone. "I believed you despite knowing how much you hated being restricted to the grounds. I wanted to believe that you were capable of keeping your word."

I felt my eyes sting with tears which I desperately tried to hold. He was right. I had broken my promise. But why couldn't he understand?

Why not give me a chance to explain?

"I wanted to believe you would know the meaning of restraint," he went on. "For restraint is one of the most important qualities of a ruler. If you still insist on pulling childish stunts like this-"

"Wait a minute," I interrupted him, the inferno of anger igniting again. "You _cannot_ accuse me of being childish. Not when-"

"-not when what, Rose?" he asked me impatiently. "Not when you decided to wander the countryside without informing anyone?"

Each word hurt but it was swallowed by massive flames of anger.

I glared at him. "I had a _reason_ for doing so. But you don't want to hear it, do you? That's _fine_. But don't you dare accuse me of being childish! Not when you don't know why I did it, why I had to do it. You have_ no idea_ what drives me, what makes me _me."_

"You're right," he agreed, backing up a few paces. "I really don't know you-"

"-you don't." I confirmed, my voice hard as I desperately tried to hold back my anger...and escalating sorrow. "So don't lecture me on what's right and what's wrong."

"Yes, because you clearly can tell right from wrong," he retorted. "Rose, what are you trying to prove? That you did the right thing by defying protocol and breaking promises?"

"I'm trying to prove that I know what I'm doing!" I shouted; all the anger, fear, sorrow and frustration coming out of me. "I know what I did, damn it! That's what none of you understand. But I had to do it. _I had to_. I thought that, of all people, _you_ would be willing to listen. But no! You're so fixated on seeing things from your point of view that you don't want to hear anything from me. And I'm not going to stand here and give an explanation when it isn't welcome."

For the second time that day, I turned away from an argument. But unlike with my mother, I wasn't left fuming.

I was left empty.

* * *

**Traasa**

Two men crouched in a dusty and abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of Navera: the sleepy town bordering the city of Gayodha.

"We are running out of ammunition," said one of the men, rubbing his thick brown beard. His eyes were fixed on a fatal wound his blond partner had acquired when trying to escape the city guards of Gayodha.

"We just have to survive the night," the bearded man continued when his blond companion didn't reply. "At nightfall, we can sneak out of Loha under the cover of the Farishta forest."

The blond man nodded as he held a piece of cloth to his wound to stem the blood flow. "The bosses will be pleased with our work."

The bearded man smiled. "Yes, they'll be very pleased. No one has been able to bypass the Lohan border security before. No one had the guts to blast a bomb in Loha before us. But we did it. Gayodha will not recover from the shock. Hell, the entire Loha will not be recovering soon."

"I hope we've scared Belikov for good," the blond man said. "He should be scared, that coward! Now he'll know how powerful we are. Soon, he'll be forced to surrender Russovia to us."

"We'll bring the royalty to their knees," the bearded man said with a grin.

Just as the blond man was about to speak, they heard the sounds of cars pulling up outside their warehouse. Rapid footsteps were heard all around them and some on the cracked roof of the small warehouse.

"This is it," the bearded man said, grasping his companion's shoulder. "Heaven awaits us. Farewell, dear friend."

"Farewell, my brother," the blond man said, embracing his companion. "We're really lucky. A martyr's death is a privilege accorded to a few. See you in heaven."

As the front and the back door of the warehouse were burst open, the Lohan army men spilled into the warehouse with their guns raised.

"_Avasha Kekudha!"_

With that mighty cry, the two traasa militants bit into the rings on their fingers, tearing the fake cover and exposing the deadly piece of cyanide which they proceeded to swallow just as the Lohan guards reached them.

With a bite of cyanide, the two militants responsible for blasting a bomb in the town of Gayodha passed away from the mortal world.

* * *

**The next day - - the day before the engagement**

_**Rose**_

"You look like a queen," Lissa told me proudly as we looked at my reflection in the floor length mirror.

I tried to smile as I smoothed the fabric of my gown. Any other time, I'd be happy to be clad in this gorgeous emerald masterpiece of a gown.

Bold patterns of black diamond decorated the transparent lace of emerald cloth covering my arms. At the shoulders, the lace coalesced into a thick emerald strap resting below my throat. The gown itself started just above my breasts, dipping low enough to hint at the swell but staying respectable. The emerald silk hugged my body smoothly till mid-thigh. From there, the silk faded into the same transparent emerald lace with black diamonds that covered my arms, forming the rest of the gown and brushing the floor such that my legs were shrouded in it.

It was classy but sexy. Which was why I'd chosen it to make my initial impression on my future family.

"Green signifies freshness-" Lissa said in an off hand tone as she curled my hair. "-and youth...and vitality."

I snorted. "What are you getting at?"

Lissa didn't answer immediately, intent on curling my hair to perfection and pinning it up in a loose bun. She left a few curled strands free to frame my face. My handmaidens scurried about, each intent on helping me get ready. One sprayed sweet perfume on me as another laid black stilettos at my feet. Yet another maid brought a set of emerald drop earrings. I'd decided against wearing any jewelry other than earrings and my tiara.

Tonight was the pre-engagement party of sorts, a get-together arranged for both the Mazur and Belikov family members who'd arrived for the engagement. It meant that I had to stick with Dimitri for the evening, pretending like everything was fine. That _we_ were fine.

"Maybe-" Lissa started, frowning as she arranged my hair in an elegant bun. "Maybe you can see this as a fresh start. Forget whatever happened between you and Dimitri."

"Fat chance," I snapped, my mood getting the best out of me.

Lissa's hurt jade eyes stared into my dull ones in the mirror.

I sighed. "I'm sorry, Liss. Look, I don't want to talk about it-"

"So you're not going to tell me what exactly happened?" Lissa asked, her tone hard. "What was so important that you had to rush out of the palace without telling anyone?"

"It's not her fault," said a quiet voice from behind us.

Sydney stood there with the box holding the tiara I'd requested. She met Lissa's eyes calmly before taking a step forward. "She'll tell you when she'd ready to."

Sydney's calming words had the opposite effect on Lissa who narrowed her eyes.

"You knew?" She asked Sydney, her tone accusatory.

I sighed, turning back to the mirror. There was no reasoning with Lissa when she got like this.

_I missed Neal_. He would listen to me.

Sydney didn't flinch under Lissa's glare. "Yes, I did. It was my fault that Rose had to leave the palace. But it was for a very good reason."

Lissa's eyes went from Sydney to me and back again.

"Would you care to tell me what it was?" Lissa asked her sarcastically.

"No," Sydney said calmly. She ignored Lissa's incredulous stare as she handed me the box. "Your mother wanted you to wear your official tiara but I told her you requested for this one."

Looking up into Sydney's hazel eyes, I tried to wordlessly apologize for Lissa's behavior.

Sydney gave me a small smile in acknowledgment and left the room.

"I'd rather not talk." I told Lissa sternly, sensing that she wanted to speak.

She turned her glare at me but I didn't budge. With a quiet huff, she went back to fixing my hair and I turned back to the mirror, staring at my dull eyes.

This wouldn't do. I had to put on a mask of happiness for the party. God knew the kind of gossip my gloominess might generate. No, no one could know what I was actually feeling.

I was ashamed to admit that I'd shed a few tears after my confrontation with Dimitri. It had been a moment of weakness but I was determined to not let it happen again.

I could not and would not be weak.

Dimitri's words played again and again in my mind. The more I thought about it, the angrier I felt. I didn't know who I was angry with: Dimitri, my parents, traasa, this betrothal or myself.

But feeling angry was better than the awful empty feeling that crept up on me sometimes.

The truth was that I missed Dimitri. I'd only stumbled upon this revelation a few hours ago when I was working out at the gym. We'd trained together for nearly two weeks now and suddenly he wasn't there anymore.

I missed him a lot.

For the hundredth time since out fight yesterday, I checked my phone for any messages or missed calls from him.

Nothing.

"Stay still," Lissa told me in a clipped tone as she set the emerald tiara carefully on top of my hair.

"Yes, Your Majesty." I said sarcastically, tired of her attitude. "Your wish is my command."

Was it so hard to see that I had too much on my plate right now to deal with her? Yes, I admit that I should have told her everything but it was too much for me to digest in the first place. I couldn't bring myself to speak about it. It was too soon.

Lissa huffed at my reply and strode away once she finished her work.

I didn't care. Much.

"Princess?" One of my maids approached me as I watched Lissa leave the room. "You have a guest."

I frowned. "Who is it?"

The maid smiled slightly. "He told me not to tell you."

Having no mood to deal with anything but knowing that I had no choice, I instructed the maid to direct my mysterious guest to the living room.

Surveying my appearance for the last time, I walked downstairs in a daze, trying to imagine an evening with an angry Dimitri beside me.

I wasn't prepared to see the person waiting for me in the living me, not prepared to come face to face with that cheeky, devil-may-care grin etched on the handsome contours of his face.

"Hello, Little Warrior." He said with a twinkle in his emerald green eyes that perfectly matched my dress.

Adrian Ivashkov.

* * *

**AN: So, we had a fight that I really want to re-write and a glimpse of the aftermath. Without giving away too much, I'll just say that I'm very very excited to share the next few chapters! Brace yourself for some...angst, jealousy and partaay! ;)**

**I'm really sorry about the quality of this chapter and for any/all mistakes!**

**I hope you all have a happy Christmas with your family and friends. I don't celebrate but I can see why this festival is so cherished :) I wish you all loads of joy, love, peace and prosperity! Enjoy :)**


	15. A stifling affair

**Happy 2017! I meant to update a lot earlier but ran into some problems with my laptop, hence the delay. I hope you all had a great Christmas and an awesome New Year party ;) **

**As always, thanks for all the love and support :)**

**Enjoy the chapter. This is, perhaps, the lengthiest one to date :)  
**

* * *

_**Rose**_

"Hello, Lord Ivashkov."

As expected Adrian Ivashkov shuddered in revulsion. He'd once told me that his title reminded him a little too much of his pompous father and that he preferred to keep things informal as a direct contrast to his father.

I laughed at his reaction, happy to see one of my oldest friends. "I didn't expect to see you here."

Adrian smiled, his emerald eyes widened innocently. "What, did you think I'd miss an opportunity to spend time with my most favorite person in the world?"

I rolled my eyes. "Cheesy."

Adrian ignored my words and instead made a show of looking at me up and down. "May I just say how _hot _you look tonight?"

Though his words were playful, I felt uncomfortable as I always did when he said anything remotely flirty. So, I played it off with a joke: "When am I not?"

"Never," he said sincerely.

"I take it you're my escort. Let's go then."

"What's the rush?" Adrian asked easily, closing the distance between us.

"There are people waiting for me," I reminded him. "It's my engagement party after all."

Adrian's sunny smile dimmed, as if he'd only just realized the occasion.

"So," he put his hands in his pockets, looking a little uncomfortable. "Dimitri Belikov, huh?"

His tone was dull but I did my best to ignore it.

"Yup," I said, fiddling with one of my rings that bore the royal sigil of the Mazurs. "Dimitri Belikov."

"I didn't think you'd get married so soon," Adrian confessed.

I shrugged. "Neither did I."

There was a odd moment of silence between us as I fidgeted uncomfortably and Adrian seemed to lost in thought.

"Are you happy?" Adrian asked suddenly.

I looked up, wondering how much I could tell him.

As though reading my mind, Adrian grasped my hand. "You can tell me anything, Rose. Despite everything, I'm still your friend."

"It's just a little weird," I confessed with a small laugh.

"I'm sorry, that's my fault." Adrian looked down at my hand in his. "I knew it was a bad idea telling you the truth about my feelings."

My mind flashed back to last summer in the kingdom of Anga, Madhri's country. She'd announced that she was pregnant with Eddie's child and a massive celebration had been organized in her homeland; the occasion graced by dignitaries from many kingdoms over the world. The Russovian representative had been Nathan Ivashkov, with his son Adrian in tow.

I'd run into Adrian a few times before that, since he was Madhri's close friend and she was my, well, sort of sister-in-law. We'd hit it off because despite all his playboy persona, he was genuinely a good person and loved to party like I did.

He'd always been a flirt, especially when I was around. I brushed off his interest, knowing that no good would come from engaging in a romantic relationship before marriage. I was controversial enough as it was.

Adrian had never pursued me seriously though, so his flirting became more of a joke than anything else.

But that summer in Anga, amidst all the dancing and cocktails, Adrian had confessed that he had feelings for me. Having never seen him in that way before, I'd rejected him without a second thought. I'd hurt him, I knew that but the next day, Adrian had begged me to not let it affect our friendship. I'd promised him not to but it was awkward being around him after that.

We'd only salvaged our friendship when Madhri lost her child. Adrian was there to support her and I to support Eddie so we were thrown in together a lot. But even then, it was a little awkward for me to talk to him, not knowing if his feelings were actually serious or if they'd already vanished.

Add to that the fact that he was a great guy, someone who could keep me happy and not force me to change myself. He would make a good life-partner for someone.

And that someone could have been me.

Saying no had been a knee-jerk reaction. But what would have happened if I'd said yes?

As he stood before me now, I wondered if I'd actually made a mistake in rejecting him. Life with Adrian would have been easy.

He wouldn't hurt me the way Dimitri had.

Hell, he'd lay the world at my feet if I asked him to. There's be no accusations of being too childish, no disappointment, no judgement.

_There would be no Dimitri._

Well, Dimitri would be there since he was the king of Adrian's country but he wouldn't...he wouldn't be _my_ Dimitri.

He'd just have been a distant, emotionless king.

Would that have been better? I didn't know…

"You're betrothed now," Adrian said, drawing me back to the present. "So hopefully, we can move past this?"

I smiled at his sincerity and nodded before glancing at my watch. "We'd better leave if we want to get there on time."

"As you command," Adrian grinned and offered me his arm. "Let's go."

* * *

_**Dimitri**_

"Where's Rose?" My mother asked Abe, glancing down the corridor in search of her. "She should have been here by now."

Janine perused her lips at the mention of her daughter but Abe smiled soothingly, "She'll be here, Olena."

I hoped that he was right; that Rose would be here soon. I didn't know if she would show up but she had to.

This party was being held for sole reason of encouraging the two families to get to know each other. Rose would be meeting my relatives for the first time and I didn't want their first impression of her to be tainted in any way.

Not that she would care.

But I did.

Yes, our fight had been nasty but we couldn't let it show. No one could suspect that something was wrong between us but Rose's absence would be a glaring signal that it was.

But she didn't care much for pretension, did she? No, Rose Mazur hated masking her feelings and idea of spending an entire evening by my side, doing exactly that, might dissuade her from showing up.

But she'd do her duty, wouldn't she?

"The party seemed to be going on in full swing even without us," Viktoria remarked, peering into the hall.

The _party,_ for lack of better words, was being held in one of the largest halls of the Palace. A vast majority of our relatives were already inside but Abe, Janine, Viktoria, my mother and I were waiting in the hallway for Rose. When she arrived-if she did- we'd be announced inside together.

For all intents and purposes, this party was for me and Rose. But I felt reluctant to enter the hall- I wanted to be anywhere but here.

I'd much rather be alone with my thoughts.

I needed to _think_, despite the fact that I seemed to be doing a lot of thinking since that quarrel with Rose.

Sighing as Rose's hurt face swan before my eyes, I walked away from the group to look out of the large bay window.

Regret was not an emotion I was overly familiar with, nor was guilt.

"_I thought that, of all people, you would be willing to listen."_

I closed my eyes, trying to block out the echoes of her voice.

"_I know what I did, damn it! That's what none of you understand. But I had to do it."_

I needed to distract myself. Forget about Rose.

"_I had a reason for doing so."_

A reason

Why had I not allowed her to explain? I'd been so caught up in feeling angry and betrayed that I'd not stopped to think. I thought I knew her so _what changed?_

Abe's jovial voice cut into my thoughts. "There she is!"

Rose.

She was here.

I turned around immediately, catching sight of Rose striding down the corridor towards us, her hand tucked into Adrian Ivashkov's arm.

How did she know him?

She looked irresistible in that emerald gown which wrapped around her voluptuous form like a glove. It enhanced her beauty and heightened the dangerous allure that always seemed to radiate from her. She looked…she looked like the queen that she was meant to be.

Her dark eyes swept over us as her cherry rep lips turned up in an enchanting smile. Beside her, Ivashkov walked with a large grin, looking supremely delighted. Who wouldn't be, in the company of such beauty? It was understandable…

…but not enjoyable.

No. I fought the sudden impulse to pull him away from her- away from my betrothed.

"It's time for us to enter the hall, Vika." Mama smiled at Rose and walked in with Viktoria.

"We should go too," Janine told Abe but her eyes were on her daughter who wasn't looking at her at all.

Ivashkov's smile dimmed as he and Rose came to a stop in front of me. At this distance, I noticed that Rose's gown seemed to match Ivashkov's eyes.

Was that deliberate?

What was going on between them?

She'd told me time and again that she wouldn't tolerate it if I were to stray. But what about her?

She'd made no such promises.

I knew I was being irrational- I could feel it in the deep recesses of my heart. But the thought of her with Adrian was like a nasty rash I desperately wanted to get rid of.

Did I deserve to feel like this, after the way I'd behaved yesterday?

Without a word, Rose slipped her hand from Ivashkov's and moved to stand next to me. Her sweet perfume washed over me as she lightly gripped my arm, perhaps with a touch of warning. Her eyes met mine fleetingly before she looked back to Adrian who was no longer smiling.

He knew as well as I did that she had to stay by my side and not his.

Abe extended a hand towards Adrian. "Thank you for escorting my daughter, Lord Ivashkov."

Adrian shook his hand briefly. "It was my pleasure, sir."

"Perhaps you'd like to go in now?" Abe gestured to the door.

Adrian shook his head. "No, no. I promised to meet Madhri before the party. You all go on."

Ah, yes. I'd forgotten that he was friends with Rose's cousin-in law, the same woman who's so abashedly tried to get me into her bed. I suppose birds of a feather indeed flock together.

"I hope you both will have no trouble introducing each other to your guests," Janine said, mostly to Rose.

Rose smiled sweetly but I could clearly see that it was fake. "No problem at all, mother."

Abe's eyes darted between Rose and I. He leaned in a little as he spoke, careful not to be heard by Adrian. "I don't know what happened between the two of you and I don't need to. It's your personal matter. Just make sure than you don't even hint at having anything less than a civil relationship with each other."

"Don't worry, Abe." I said, not even surprised that he'd detected the strain between us. "We'll be careful."

With a last scrutinizing glance, he left with Janine.

Adrian's eyes met mine. "Your Grace," he nodded, his eyes reflecting a slight challenge.

I inclined my head, keeping my eyes on his.

This man was my subject and well below me in rank. I could have him arrested for just looking at me like that. Like father, like son I suppose. Nathan Ivashkov, being the head of Ivashkov family, was a constant thorn in my side.

Ivashkovs were one of the four royal families of Russovia. They never have been particularly friendly but the new generation seemed worse than the previous ones.

Making sure my face betrayed nothing, I greeted the man who'd escorted my betrothed to me. "Lord Ivashkov."

Rose looked at me with a frown and I knew that she didn't like my tone. She'd only just stopped calling me "Ice prince", claiming that I could freeze the sun if I wanted to.

I highly doubted it, seeing as how she was the only sun in my universe. She was capable of burning me alive if she wished to.

"I'll see you later," she told Ivashkov, her voice soft.

He spared her a lingering glance before reluctantly leaving, making it clear that he desired her.

Quite clear indeed.

"He likes you," I told Rose, eyeing her carefully. "You're to be his Queen, his superior and he likes you."

Her eyes flashed as she looked at me angrily. Before she could reply, the double doors of the hall were thrown open for us as the herald announced our presence.

When Rose reluctantly tucked her arm into mine, we walked into the hall together amidst applause from the guests.

* * *

_**Rose**_

The hall was large and tastefully decorated with upbeat music playing in the background. I smiled at the guests, waving at some acquaintances as Dimitri led me over to the low rise platform set up at the side of the hall, directly under an archway that was decorated with garlands of white jasmine. The band occupied the back portion of the platform and our parents stood in the front.

The people parted as Dimitri and I walked over to it, still clapping cheerfully.

I noticed a lot of awe-filled looks directed at Dimitri and I, and could only imagine how good we looked together.

We were both rather gorgeous individuals, even if I say so myself. Dimitri looked especially dashing today in a three-piece charcoal gray suit that was perfectly tailored as usual. He'd even combed his hair and sadly, there were no stray strands framing that handsome face.

This close to him, I could clearly smell that wonderful aftershave of his and feel the electricity that always sparked between us.

Irritation spread through my veins as I looked at his neutral face.

He just had to be perfect, didn't he?

Perfect in everything. Dimitri Belikov, the perfect. Dimitri Belikov, the noble. Dimitri Belikov, the handsome.

Dimitri Belikov, the judgmental.

Dimitri Belikov, the man who was convinced that he was always right.

My betrothed.

My eyes stung at the thought but I quickly controlled myself.

No more tears.

I plastered a large smile when we climbed up the platform, quickly letting go of Dimitri's arm as we stood in the spotlight with everyone cheering for us.

All of a sudden, the lights dimmed and we heard the clearing of a microphone.

Everyone turned around in confusion, searching to see the source of the sound.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said a voice I loved to hell and back. "Welcome! Welcome to Loha."

_Neal._

Clad in a polished black suit and his typical bowler hat, my brother stood on the opposite side of the hall, grinning cheekily when the spotlight fell on him. "Surprised?"

I exchanged an amused glance with Dad.

Only Neal would pull something like this. When had he even returned from Gayodha?

"For those of you who don't know me," Neal said into the mike as he strolled over to us, one hand in his pocket and another holding the mike. Casual as you please, like he always was. "I'm Neal Mazur, the Prince of Loha and more importantly, the brother of the bride."

He stopped in the middle of the hall, in the middle of the guests and bowed when they clapped for him.

"For those of you who do know me-" Neal continued, his black suit glinting in the light as he took a step forward. "-which is more than half of you, or so I hope- you'll know there's nothing I love more than my sweet sister. How then, could I miss a get-together party with her future family?"

A collective 'aw' echoed through the hall.

I couldn't stop smiling, my mood lifted by a million. Neal was here and everything would soon be alright.

"This betrothal has brought together two very different countries with two very different cultures," Neal noted, pausing to glance around him. "We're very different people indeed but we've all assembled here today to celebrate our shared identity; to celebrate the unification of our families, of our countries. Today, we have one goal and that is to get to know each other."

Noises of assent filled the hall and Neal smiled, the twinkle in his eye visible even from this distance.

"So, join me in this toast." He picked up a champagne flute that the waiters had been distributing in the hall. Dimitri and I were handed one as well. When everyone had their glasses in their hand, Neal raised his glass into the air: "To a new beginning."

"A new beginning," we echoed, drinking the champagne.

The lights were brightened again as Neal walked up to the podium. I handed my glass to Dad before flinging my arms around Neal.

"That was really sweet." I told him proudly.

"It indeed was," Dad agreed as Olena patted Neal's back.

"You have wonderful children," Olena praised us, looking squarely at my mother.

Did she suspect-?

"You sure know how to make an entrance," Dimitri told Neal, his voice light.

I felt a pang when he spoke and so, I kept my eyes on Neal who looked rather smug.

"Typical drama queen," I teased him, much to everyone's amusement.

"Let's get on with the party, shall we?" Janine said crisply, cutting right through the merriment and gesturing for the band to begin playing. "We have a few song and dance performances lined up to entertain the guests but Rose, Dimitri-you need to mingle."

"Introduce each other to your relatives," Olena said with a warm smile.

"Go on then," Dad added, gesturing to the masses below.

Dimitri and I looked at each other for a second before he extended his arm to me. I sighed and grasped it as lightly as possible as he led us down the stage and into the crowd.

Let the torture begin.

* * *

_**Dimitri**_

Once we descended from the stage, we were surrounded by well wishers from both countries, occasionally from other countries as well. We'd tried to limit the guest list for the engagement to our families, figuring that the wedding would have to be a large scale event but even then, there were too many people to meet and greet.

Rose, for her part, was ever the gracious host but I could see the strain behind the smile.

As much as I hated it, I knew I was the reason behind it.

I couldn't ignore it any longer.

She was trying to not let it show but I could see how her mouth tightened when she looked at me, her eyes turning hard when they met mine and how she maintained a careful distance between us.

One incident had destroyed all the good days we'd had together.

The blame lay on both of us; Rose for breaking a promise and mine for not listening to her and for jumping to conclusions. I'd acted on my emotions; impulsively passing judgment without considering the facts.

I've always taken pride at being fair and rarely acted impulsively. But something about Rose had always thrown me off course.

It always had, right from the moment I'd met her.

But that was no excuse. I needed to own up to my mistake.

"We need to talk," I told her quietly when the ever talkative Lady Natalie Dashkov left us.

Rose looked up at me contemplatively before sighing. "I know we do but-"

"Aw, look at you two!" a shrill voice crooned, breaking our conversation. My father's sister, Lady Anisha Selzky stood before us, her hands on her cheeks as she looked at the two of us. She'd always had such a flair for dramatics. "You get along so nicely! I can't believe my Dima is getting married!"

She pulled me to her to kiss my cheek while I resisted the urge to step away.

"How are you, my boy?" she asked cheerfully when she released me.

I smiled at her in reply before turning to Rose who looked very amused. "Rose, this is my aunt, Lady Anisha Selzky." Turning to my aunt, I said. "This is Rose Mazur-"

"Oh, yes, yes!" Aunt Anisha cut me off by clapping her hands. "Your betrothed is one pretty thing, Dima. My my, what a beautiful gown that is! How are you, my dear?"

With a large smile, Rose assured my aunt that she was fine. Her smile grew as my aunt continued to talk, occasionally pinching my cheek as she recounted some tale from my childhood.

Yes, I could see why Rose was smiling so much. She must be finding this exceedingly hilarious.

It was a small mercy when my uncle finally dragged her away, apologizing on her behalf.

Rose turned to me with a grin when they'd left. "I had no-"

She trailed off when someone approached us, reminding me again that we'd have no privacy and no time at all to talk to each other in the middle of this circus.

The man who stood before us seemed vaguely familiar but Rose must have known him because she stepped forward to hug him before drawing back and punching his arm.

Laughing blue eyes met mine and I knew who the man was. "Christian."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Christian Ozera said with a small bow, a familiar smirk on his face. "I'm surprised you remember."

"Only one other person has eyes like that," I told him, shaking his hand. "How are you?"

"I'm great!" Christian grinned, looking between Rose and me. "But you may not be, Your Majesty. This one's a handful."

I chuckled when Rose huffed.

"You have no right to talk, mister." Rose retorted with a mock glare at him. "Why did you not come see me sooner?"

"I would have," Christian said with a sigh, looking at Rose pitifully. "But your slave driver of a cousin kept me busy. He sent me to Gayodha, to help Neal's investigation."

The atmosphere grew somber at the mention of Gayodha.

Rose sighed, "Is it done?"

Christian glanced around furtively. "All I can tell you right now is that a team's been stationed there. We're going back after your engagement."

"Did you find anything of significance?" I asked him.

"Yes," Christian said softly. "I'm sure Abe will brief you soon."

I nodded, quelling my curiosity.

Rose smiled with some effort. "I'm sure it was not you who did the work. You've always been lazy, Ozera."

Christian's smirk returned and he said: "I'd love to stay and argue with you, Rose but I'm too busy. Too much work to do. But I had to let you know that I was alive or you'd throw me a funeral in a few days."

"That I would," Rose said, words oozing snark.

Christian looked at me innocently. "What did I tell you? Too much to deal with."

I nodded and Rose rolled her eyes.

"Anyway," Christian smiled sincerely for the first time that evening. "Congrats, you two. I'll see you around."

I watched him disappear into the crowd before my attention was drawn to the next person who'd come to greet us.

On and on it went, introductions and fake smiles. At one point, Rose grasped my arm briefly, somehow sensing my frustration. I'd never before noticed that she could bring about a sense of calmness with a single touch.

How odd.

* * *

_**Rose**_

The entire evening was as torturous as I'd expected.

Handling guests was usually tiring but it was worse when you were greeting your future family. One never knew how much to talk in such situations. Especially when one wasn't on perfect terms with one's own betrothed.

I could sense Dimitri getting frustrated as well, perhaps even more than me since he was so anti-social in the first place. On top of everything, our fight hung over our heads like a black cloud.

Perhaps the only ray of sunshine was the fact that I'd glimpsed genuine regret in Dimitri's eyes when he looked at me.

He wanted to talk.

I did too.

The entire situation had escalated beyond belief and I wanted to have our old camaraderie back. But he'd hurt me…

Hadn't I hurt him too?

We greeted our guests in perfect synchronicity, taking over conversation when greeting with our respective relatives and introducing the other. But we'd only managed to cover half the room in the three hours that had passed…

My throat was starting to feel parched and I desperately wanted a cool drink. Deciding that I'd endured more than enough, I leaned over to Dimitri as one of my distant cousins went on about something or the other, and said: "I've had enough. I'm going to get myself a drink."

Dimitri shook his head. "No, I'll get you a drink. You stay with your relatives."

I agreed and he quickly excused himself.

"Rose?" My old aunt Lily peered up at me through misty eyes. "Are you okay? You looked a little tired, my dear."

"It's nothing, Aunt Lily." I tried to look more cheerful. "I'm just thirsty, that's all."

"Well, go and get yourself a drink." she told me strictly. "It's very important to stay hydrated."

"Dimitri has-"

"Go on. The food stall's that way."

Giving in, I quickly took off in the direction Dimitri had gone; smiling and nodding at the guests as I walked but I didn't stop. When I drew closer to the food counters, I heard my name being called out.

Resisting the urge to swear, I turned around to see Viktoria a few paces away. She looked very pretty in her velvet wrap dress, the golden highlights in her hair shining under the light.

"I'd love to stop and chat," I told her without preamble. "But I fear I may collapse from thirst."

Viktoria laughed, linking our hands together. "Come on, then. We can't have the bride collapsing, can we?"

I snorted. "I'm not a bride yet but whatever. Let's go."

As I turned, I caught sight of something that halted me on my tracks. Confused, Viktoria looked to see what I was staring at.

It was Dimitri.

He stood leaning against a pillar, his face lit up with a genuine smile and body held relaxed. He clutched two champagne glasses but seemed to have forgotten them as he laughed heartily at whatever his companion was saying.

I'd only heard him laugh like that once or twice.

Dimitri seemed to be very fond of whoever he was talking to and immediately I hated _her_, that woman who was making my betrothed laugh like that. Her back was to me so I couldn't see her face. She was tall, clad in a short ice blue gown that seemed to be made of some sort of sheer, shimmery material. Her hand rested on Dimitri's arm as she leaned forward to whisper something to him.

Something that made him smile again.

"Who's that?" I asked Viktoria in a tone I hardly recognized.

"Tasha Ozera." Viktoria replied promptly. "That's Natasha Ozera."

I sucked in a sharp breath. "The same Natasha Ozera who was widely touted to be the next queen of Russovia?"

Viktoria looked at me uneasily.

That was all the answer I needed. Without another word to Viktoria, I strode over to where Natasha Ozera was _talking_ to my betrothed.

* * *

**AN: Aaaaannnd it's done! Not really, we have two more chapters of this torture :p**

**Things are well and truly heating up and I'm so excited to hear your feedback! This was the part 1 of the jealously saga so tell me, please, tell me if you liked it! **

**Okay, I'm a little hyper and seriously resisting the urge to type "Honey, you should see me in a crown" :p :D ;)**

_**Hyper! **_**You can**** blame my state on one James Moriarty, the napolean of crime! Mr Sex himself :D For those of you who do not watch Sherlock, start watching! And for those who do, you'll know how charming the man is ;) Andrew Scott rocks :D If any of you do watch Sherlock and want to discuss, I'm always here :)**


	16. A burning affair

**Hi! :)**

**Thank you all for the response! I've replied to the reviews at random but you love you all and hence, the early update :D  
**

** I'm starting to wonder if it was a good thing to raise your expectations like that. I mean, what if this chapter doesn't live up to the hype?! Hopefully, you guys will like the part 2 of the jealously saga as well as you liked the first one :p **

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

_**Rose**_

My heart pounded faster as I walked over to Dimitri and Natasha, fire burning in my veins.

When my father had announced that Dimitri Belikov was to be my husband, I did some research on him. He had an impeccable track record as my mother had pointed out, managing to avoid any type of controversy.

But people talk, they always do in circles like ours. When Dimitri had showed no signs of ever courting a lady, people jumped to track his inner circle and naturally, fixated on his close female friends.

Natasha Ozera was one of them.

Her friendship with Dimitri was widely famous and people took to saying that she might be Dimitri's first choice for a wife. Hell, I'd personally seen many media reports praising Natasha Ozera and gushing about why her marriage to Dimitri might be the best thing to happen to Russovia.

Of course, after our betrothal was announced, there were hundreds of articles of the same nature; this time praising me instead of Natasha.

But the point is, she was the woman who was there before me.

She'd been set to take the position meant for _me_, by Dimitri's side and as the queen of Russovia.

I had every right to be apprehensive about meeting this Natasha Ozera.

_Yes, I did!_

Dimitri straightened as I approached, as though sensing my presence. He looked around before his eyes landed on me.

I plastered a smile on my face as I walked closer, desperately trying to conceal my- anger?

Dimitri's grin softened into that mysterious half smile that he also wore around me. Was that bad?

Could she make him laugh when I couldn't?

"Rose," he said softly, cutting off his companion's words. I felt smug until she turned around to look at me.

She was…pretty. Very pretty.

Her pictures did not do her justice.

Ice blue eyes set against a pale face and dark waterfall of hair enhanced those pretty features that were currently beaming. She was tall, taller than me and had a great body wrapped in that edgy gown that made her eyes glow.

Contrary to what I expected, she seemed happy to see me.

Now, why was that?

When I stepped up next to them, Dimitri had already schooled his features but that half smile that he always wore around me lurked at the corner of his lips.

"Rose," he said simply, gesturing to Natasha. "This is Tasha Ozera, the princess of Yavana."

I looked away from Dimitri to nod to her with a fake smile.

"Tasha," he turned to her with a smile that made me want to punch him. "This is Rose Mazur, the princess of Loha."

I tried to keep a smile on my face as I shook her hand with the usual pleasantries. I didn't want to come across as a jealous bitch.

Whoa! _Jealous?_

Was I really jealous?

I couldn't recall a single instance of jealously ever before. I didn't need to. I had everything. Wealth? Of course. Family? Neal made up for everything wrong with my mother. Respect? No one had treated me with anything less. Love and adoration? My citizens gave me that and much more. Looks? Oh, hell yes.

I had everything. Everything but Dimitri.

Or did I have him too? He was betrothed to _me,_ after all.

But what was his connection to Tasha? A lover?

No, that couldn't be it.

Dimitri would have told me...right?

"Princess Rose." Tasha greeted me with a wide smile. "Your dress is beautiful!"

"Thanks," I said, perhaps a little shortly.

"How are you holding up?" Tasha continued, "the party must be stressful."

For a moment, I thought she knew about our conflict and the tension between Dimitri and I but then realized that she was just talking about the usual pressures.

"Oh, I'm fine." I answered though it was far from the truth. Eyeing the champagne glasses in Dimitri's hand, I added pointedly, "Dying of thirst though."

"Sorry," Dimitri apologized immediately, handing me a glass. "Tasha distracted me."

Tasha laughed as I tried not to scowl. Did he realize that the sentence could be misconstrued in so many ways?

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Dimka." Tasha mocked, using his stupid nickname with a familiarity that did not sit well with me. "I'll try to not distract you again."

Dimitri chuckled, his eyes bright as he looked at his...what? Friend? Ex?

"Well," I said with a smile that even I knew looked fake. I couldn't stand around watching them flirt like that. "Now that I have what I came for-" I tilted my glass slightly. "-I'll take my leave."

"Oh Rose, don't go." Tasha appealed while Dimitri's eyes reflected confusion. She skipped the usual 'princess' even though I hadn't asked her to, as though we've been friends for ages. "I've always wanted to meet you."

I raised my eyebrows, mourning the fact that I couldn't raise both together. Dimitri's lips curved up as though he knew what I was thinking.

That bastard.

"I've heard a lot about you, Rose." Tasha continued. "You've always stood up for women everywhere. I hope you know you're an inspiration to all of us."

Was this woman serious? I wanted to hate her but she was making it hard.

"Wow." I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear as I digested her words. "That means a lot, Princess. Thank you."

"Call me Tasha," she said and I was hard pressed to not return the favor.

"Tasha is also a huge campaigner for women's rights." Dimitri told me. "Thanks to her, Yavana's council has 39% reservation for women."

Damn. _Double damn._ While I did not like the way he was praising her, I couldn't deny that I had a new found respect for her.

"That's great," I told her, not having to force a smile anymore. "We need to do all that we can to survive in this world of men."

Tasha laughed and agreed, gripping Dimitri's arm.

I think I narrowed my eyes at them.

Dimitri mistook my expression to possibly mean that he was one of those men controlling the world. Suppressing a smile, he said, "you have my full support."

At that moment, Adrian and Viktoria appeared next to us. Adrian was grinning, holding Viktoria by arm. The latter was scowling mildly at Adrian, not looking pleased to be dragged around by him.

A twinge of relief shot through me at their presence.

"Are we interrupting?" Adrian asked innocently.

Both Viktoria and I snorted at the same time and then looked at each other with a grin.

"Of course not," Tasha said easily, greeting them both.

After that, there were only forced conversations; the air remaining awkward between us. I didn't care to diffuse it as I would have, sipping my champagne silently while my mind was busy pondering over the connection between Tasha and Dimitri. On his part, Dimitri didn't care to talk to Adrian, preferring to respond only when addressed directly. Tasha and Viktoria didn't seem to feel the oddity, however, and chatted merrily when Adrian kept trying to draw me into the conversation.

When Viktoria left, my discomfort grew.

I felt a rush of affection for Adrian when he remained by my side. If he hadn't been there, I knew I would have made some snide comments while watching Tasha and Dimitri interact in that easy way of theirs.

I couldn't say that Tasha was not likable. She was very pleasant and I knew I'd like her a lot if it hadn't been for the fact that she was definitely interested in Dimitri.

It was evident in the way she looked at him, the way she tossed her hair over her shoulder and smiled when he so much as looked at her. Not to mention that blatantly flirty tone she used when talking to him.

Was I reading too much into this?

I didn't know.

I also didn't know what Dimitri felt but I knew for sure that there was nothing going on between them.

I trusted him so much at least.

But what about his feelings? Did he like her?

It was hard to tell. For instance, when the topic changed to one of the many grand parties that Lord Tyrion of Westeros threw often, Dimitri confessed that he'd never been to one.

Tasha laughed and retorted, "Of course you haven't been to one, Dimka. You're always so busy that you don't know how to have fun."

Dimitri rolled his eyes. "I think you and I have a very different definition of fun, Tasha."

"You work too hard," she shot back and Dimitri immediately denied it.

"Oh, so you don't talk to Ivan for hours daily?" Tasha asked with an air of one who knew the answer. "In fact, I bet that you spent at least an hour talking to Ivan today, even though it's supposed to be your party."

Dimitri sheepishly admitted to it.

Happy at being proved right, Tasha rubbed his arm in sympathy but the move was a little less friendly and a lot more flirty.

That was the last straw for me.

"I'm sure you both have a lot to catch up on," I told them with a forced smile. My eyes remained on Tasha's, knowing that I would snap if I looked at Dimitri. "Adrian and I will leave you to it."

"Yes," Adrian agreed wholeheartedly. "After all, we have a lot to catch up on too, Rose." Adrian put an arm around me and started to lead me away. "Did I tell you that I finally finished that painting you liked..."

* * *

**Dimitri.**

"Dimka?" Tasha frowned when Adrian and Rose left my line of sight. "Is everything okay?"

I nodded with a small smile, not seeing the point in telling Tasha something I hardly understood myself.

Why had Rose left like that? She seemed uncomfortable and angry. It was like she was my mirror, reflecting the exact emotions I'd been feeling. Why did she feel like that? Why did_ I _feel like that?

All I knew was that I did not like her proximity to Adrian. What was going on between those two anyway?

My mind was in a mess, something that rarely happened with me. I've always had my emotions sorted neatly, kept in different compartments and labeled with a note on how to conceal them. Never has been been such a storm in my head, uprooting all my tucked away thoughts and creating one huge jumble that I couldn't even begin to untangle yet.

It was Rose, I knew that.

Rose was this proverbial storm.

When did everything get so complicated? One minute Rose and I are trying to find common ground and the next, everything was in ashes. How could I hope to solve anything when I was so confused?

"Dimka?" Tasha shook my arm lightly, looking worried.

Smiling at her concern, I tried to reassure her and concentrate on having a decent conversation with one of my closest friends.

I'd been a really long time since I'd seen Tasha.

Despite our countries being rivals, we'd become friends in one of the many meetings we'd been to on a global platform. She was genuine and honest and knew her brother, the king of Yavana, was wrong in his stance against Russovia. She was similar to Rose in being temperamental and standing up for herself but she was all grace and manners while Rose only grudgingly put on a mask of politeness. Besides, that fire that always seemed to burn within Rose were mere sparks seen seldom in Tasha.

It was wrong to compare two great women like that but these days, Rose was pretty much always in my thoughts and it wasn't easy to not compare her with her peers like Tasha.

"You seem really distracted," Tasha noted softly, making me sigh. "What is it, Dimka?"

I wanted to tell her, I did but-

My attention was drawn to Rose across the hall. She was making her way into the terrace bordering the hall and Adrian was close behind her. As I watched, he placed his hand on her back to lead her out.

I'd had enough.

I needed to speak to her, to find out what Adrian was to her.

I didn't like their closeness and I didn't trust him at all.

Especially not around my betrothed.

"I'll catch you later, okay?" I told Tasha, handing her my champagne flute and leaving before she could reply.

* * *

_**Rose**_

My heart raced, my fingers twisting together in frustration.

This was hell.

What on earth was going on between Dimitri and Tasha and why was I so bothered by it?

All I kept seeing were her fingers on him, massaging his arm, grasping his hand-

Ugh! I needed to get a grip…

Is this what jealousy felt like?

I felt a sudden pang of sympathy to anyone and everyone who'd ever lived through this feeling.

_It was agony!_

My mind helpfully interjected various pictures of Dimitri and Tasha together with newspaper articles I'd read about how Tasha was Dimitri's closest friend and probably more...

One article went on to note that they had transparent chemistry and would make a beautiful couple.

Another article bet its readers that they were hooking up but keeping it a secret to avoid media attention. Yet another had speculated about their babies.

Why did I have to read it? It had been weeks ago- when the betrothal was first announced. I'd been reading everything I could to form an opinion about my betrothed.

No, looking at the media reports had been a wrong idea!

At that time, any news of Dimitri and Tasha was just a minor annoyance, contributing to my ever growing argument against the betrothal.

But now-?

After that near kiss on the waterfalls? After those thousand moments we'd spent together?

But he couldn't care less, could he? No, all that earlier "Rose, we need to talk" was bullshit! He probably wanted to yell at me some more-

"Rose?"

Startled, I whipped around to see Adrian by my side, observing me keenly.

"What's wrong?" he asked, emerald eyes lit up in concern.

I looked away from him and around the small balcony I'd escaped to. At the moment, it was conveniently empty.

"I'm fine," I told Adrian, my response automatic.

He shook his head. "No, you're not."

I looked at him silently for a moment before asking, "What would you do if your betrothed broke a promise she made to you?"

Adrian frowned. "Did Belikov break a promise he-"

I held up a hand to silence him. "Answer the question, Adrian."

Adrian cocked his head a little, observing me keenly. "I suppose I'd ask her why."

"That's it!" I exclaimed, gesturing violently. "You would ask why. Damn it! Anyone would ask why."

"Rose, what's-?"

"You wouldn't treat her like crap, would you?" I asked him beseechingly.

He looked a little surprised but answered nonetheless. "No, of course not."

I exhaled, looking at him with a smile. "You're a good man, Adrian Ivashkov."

He laughed, finding some sort of amusement in my frank confession.

Adrian was good. He cared for me, unlike others I knew.

He actually wanted me.

Why couldn't I just want him back? Life would have been so much easier.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Adrian whispered, much closer to me than he'd been before.

I shook my head slowly, looking into his emerald eyes.

For some reason, those emerald orbs seemed to represent an easy life. Calm, nice, sweet life.

So unlike the turbulent dark eyes that were as deep and mysterious as the ocean. A life of turbulence as rough as the sea…

Adrian raised his hand to gently tuck a strand of hair behind my ear.

I looked at him contemplatively, my mind still on Dimitri. It was only when he dipped his head that I came to my senses.

He'd been about to kiss me!

"Adrian!" I hissed, stepping back.

Adrian looked at me with a defeated expression. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking-"

I looked at me for a moment before exhaling harshly. "It's okay. I shouldn't have...I know how you feel and-"

"-and that's not how you feel," he finished morosely.

I looked at him sadly. "I wish I did."

Adrian frowned suddenly. "What on earth is going on between you and Belikov? I've never seen you like this before."

My eyes stung as I turned away. "Too much, Adrian. Too much."

Adrian was quiet for a moment, no doubt thinking over the small things I'd told him and piercing it all together.

"You broke some kinda promise you made," Adrian started. "-and he's pissed at you for that."

I nodded.

Adrian whistled lowly. "Wow. Belikov doesn't get pissed easy."

I laughed hollowly. "You're telling me."

Adrian dragged a hand through his hair. "I don't know what to say, Rose. Despite everything, that man is my king. A good one at that. I hate him for taking you away but-"

"But what?"

"-but you clearly like each other." Adrian finished.

I snorted in surprise. "He hates me."

To my surprise, Adrian simply shook his head. "He doesn't. His eyes were on you the entire evening-"

"His eyes were on Natasha!" I exclaimed, a little too loudly.

Clapping a hand over my mouth in the very next moment, I glanced around to see if anyone had heard me.

Nope, the balcony was still deserted.

"So, that's what's this is about." Adrian looked like he'd solved a great mystery. "You're jealous!"

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are." Adrian grinned widely. "Which is foolish of you but you are jealous."

"No, I-" I trailed off as another part of his sentence registered in my head. "Wait, foolish? Did you see that woman?"

"She has nothing on you," Adrian said seriously. "Belikov knows that."

"So you say."

"So everyone says. It's known that he's never had an interest in Tasha."

"I'd read stuff that claim the contrary."

Adrian scoffed. "The media is crazy. You believe them over me, the person who's seen them together more than you have? Russovian citizen here, remember?"

I wanted to believe him, I did but I knew I needed to hear Dimitri tell me that himself.

"That's not the only problem," I told Adrian. "We had a huge fight and now, we're barely speaking."

"You'll work it out," Adrian said confidently. "You'll see."

Just then, the door to the balcony opened and my distant uncle and aunt walked inside. They looked at us in confusion so I introduced them to Adrian and subtly encouraged the latter to walk away.

He did but not before giving me a thumbs up.

Soon, the children of said uncle and aunt joined us and once again, I went back to playing hostess. More people tricked in steadily and more forced conversations happened.

When I finally got a quiet moment to myself, my mind reverted back to Dimitri.

Always Dimitri.

Speak of the devil! A hand closed around my arm suddenly and pulled me around.

_Dimitri._

Why was it that when I was brooding over my problems, the source of all those problems was the one to interrupt me?

I hadn't expected Dimitri to come looking for me, not when he was so busy flirting with Tasha. But there he was, his face betraying nothing as he stood before me. But I could almost sense his agitation.

He was not pleased.

"Do you have a moment?" he asked, as if he had not just pulled me around to talk.

I looked around at the guests lingering around the terrace; some of them were already looking at us curiously.

I smiled at them apologetically and turned back to Dimitri. "I don't think this is the time or place for any sort of conversation, Dimitri."

"Isn't it overdue?" he asked with a sardonic tint to his words.

My hackles raised.

"Whose fault is that?" I sniped.

"If I say mine, can we talk?" Dimitri retorted. _Had he always been so sarcastic?_

"I don't like you right now." I said childishly as Dimitri grasped my arm again and led me into the hall.

"Let's find your parents and excuse ourselves," he said and I loosened my arm from his grip.

"Why would you think that they'll let us go?" I asked him, knowing how my mother would react.

"We had a big day tomorrow," Dimitri stated as his eyes scanned the hall. He started marching in the direction of my parents who stood talking to a mixed group of people from both the countries.

"So?" Again, I couldn't bring myself to resort to politeness.

"So," he said, mimicking my tone. "We need rest. Hence, we're leaving."

I watched, stupefied as he smoothly extracted permission for my parents and then from his mother. They seemed to buy his excuse; hook, line and sinker.

"You're good," I admitted grudgingly as we started to walk out of the hall.

But we stopped the very next moment when Neal's voice was heard over the microphone: "Ladies and gentlemen, may I please have your attention? Dinner's being served in the Nishala hall that's adjacent to this one. Please proceed to the hall through the door to your left."

People started moving in the direction Neal had indicated. But he wasn't done with his announcement. "We've arranged a little surprise for everyone below thirty-five."

Mom frowned at him. Catching her eyes, he grinned smugly: "There's no need to worry, we're not hosting an orgy...even though I did want to throw one."

Some people laughed as Neal winked.

"What does he have planned?" Dimitri asked me.

I shrugged simply. "I have no idea. Neal's spontaneous like that."

Neal interrupted our discussion. "Everyone older than thirty five, kindly proceed to Nishala hall."

Dimitri and I stepped out of the way as people started making their way out. Dad shot me a questioning look as he guided some people to the door. I shrugged again because I really didn't know what was going on.

When the hall cleared and only the youth remained, Neal's grin became positively gleeful. "How do you guys feel about having our own little party?"

There was a massive uproar as everyone cheered.

I clapped happily, delighted at this turn of events. Not only had it been ages since I'd last attended a decent party, Neal's idea was also getting me away from Dimitri's snippy mood. What right did he have to be snippy, anyway?

As I expected, Dimitri did not look pleased.

"Do we have to?" he asked me.

"What are you, forty?" I snapped. "Learn to enjoy for once."

Dimitri shot me an unimpressed look.

"You have one hour," Neal said, holding up his watch. "Eat your dinner, change your dress and get ready to paaartay!"

I whopped, grinning at some of my cousins who stood nearby.

"Rose, Dimitri." Neal called through the mike. "You're the guests of honor so yes, your presence is kinda necessary, Dimitri."

The people who knew him laughed when Dimitri sighed in exasperation.

"Chop, chop, people! Move along now." Neal gestured to the door. "Come back in an hour."

Dimitri turned on his heel and left abruptly, muttering under his breath.

_Fun time indeed._

Smirking, I walked over to Viktoria. "Make sure your brother shows up." I told her strictly. "And please tell him to not wear one of those stupid formal suits. It's a party for God's sake."

Viktoria giggled. "I'll try, Rose. I'll try."

"That's all I ask. See you later."

When she left, I made my way over to Neal.

"When did you plan all this?" I demanded, watching as he directed a team of cleaners to spruce the place up.

"Ages ago," Neal confessed, motioning over to another group of smartly dressed people who'd just arrived. "Look, I need to go help them jazz this place up. Don't worry, okay? I have it all handled. Just concentrate on having fun."

I grinned, giving him a quick hug. "Thank you! I'll see you in an hour."

* * *

**AN: So, it's party time with a jealous, pissed off Dimitri and equally frustrated Rose; she seems to think this party would actually be enjoyable. Do you agree with her? :p  
**

**I'm very, very excited for you all to read the next chapter! I don't think I've ever written such a- well, I should probably keep it a surprise ;)**

**Thanks for reading! :)**

**P.S: As for the Neal love, thank you but I've borrowed a lot from Neal Caffrey's personality from White Collar. Credits to the creators of Neal ;)**

**P.P.S: I know Tasha is a controversial character. However, I've never been a fan of painting her in a bad light from the start because that's not how she was in VA. She was kind, funny and a badass before LS. While I do hate her for being so flirty and handsy with Dimitri in Frostbite and then for what she did in LS, I wanted to stick to canon in her case :)**

**P.P.P.S (Does it even exist?!): ****For all those interested, check out the song **_"Nahin samne tu"_** of the old bollywood movie **_Taal_.** The video is a little ridiculous but the music is what I use to get in the mood for this story :)**


	17. A searing affair

**Hey!:)**

**Nothing to say except thanks for the reviews, follows and favorites. I've added an important announcement at the bottom of the chapter so please don't skip that. Thank you :)  
**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter. I had fun writing it :p**

* * *

_**Rose**_

I found myself in the ballroom exactly an hour later, marveling at the transformation the place had undergone while I was away.

The lighting of the entire hall had been changed; over the space of an hour, a solemnly grand ballroom had been transformed into something resembling a club. Twinkling strings of lights replaced chandeliers, majestic rugs removed to reveal hardwood floors and stately tapestries covered by huge speakers.

A huge disco ball hovered above the dance floor, throwing into sharp relief the number of people who danced underneath it, in tune to the upbeat music played by a DJ.

When I stepped into the hall, the lights brightened abruptly.

Neal's voice was magnified by the microphone when he announced: "Rose Mazur, ladies and gentlemen."

A shower of confetti rained down on me from above as the guests started clapping merrily. Happily surprised, I brushed some confetti from my hair and laughed when more rained down on me.

"Thank you!" I blew kisses into the air, grinning when many reciprocated.

"And there's our groom." Neal announced, making me whirl around in shock. "Dimitri Belikov, the guy who's taking our Rose away from us."

Many laughed as they clapped but my eyes were fixed on the entrance.

Through the dark of the doorway, Dimitri's form materialized as he walked into the light.

My breath caught when I looked at him.

He was dressed in a crisp white shirt and light khaki trousers, paired with a fitted, rusted copper colored blazer. The color brought out the brown in his eyes and gave a shinier edge to his hair which he'd tied back as always.

His dark eyes were fixed on me, unmindful of the applause and the greeting that the others called out. His gaze was intense and dark, shining with emotions that his face didn't portray. It was as if his gaze was lighting a fire under my skin, a fire that roared through my veins and threatened to consume my heart.

Vaguely, I wondered if he liked what he saw.

Everyone else did.

I'd always been sure of the reactions I could cause in men but with Dimitri, it was a mystery.

Did he find me pretty? I didn't know…

His eyes trailed down my body and up again in an agonizingly slow motion. I could see his fists clench and his eyes widen a little but…that was all.

For the hundredth time in my life, I cursed that damned mask of his.

I knew I looked hot. Everybody knew that I looked hot. So why did I need validation from Dimitri?

He was crazy if he didn't appreciate this.

Or gay.

Whatever.

I was wearing knee-length dress of shimmery maroon silk with a v-neckline that plunged quite low. It was quite normal at the front but past the shoulders at the back, the straps holding the dress up turned into thick, rustic gold chains inlaid with rubies. They criss-crossed at the back, a large ruby fixed at the point of intersection before they tapered down to hook into a thin gilded belt at my waist. It left the dress backless except for the chains, just the way I liked it.

My hair was arranged in an artful chignon but at that moment, I wished it was free. I knew Dimitri liked it that way.

Why did I care, anyway?

I forced myself to look away from him when Neal's voice echoed through the hall, "Come on in, you two. You're the guests of honor, after all."

_Breathe, Rose._

Plastering on a large smile that soon became genuine when Neal came into sight, I hastened my footsteps as I walked over to him, very aware that Dimitri was barely a foot away from me.

"Let's get the party started then." Neal gestured for the DJ to continue playing and jumped down from the low platform, walking over to close the distance between us.

Around us, people had resumed dancing but Viktoria emerged from the crowd to talk to us. Sparing her a smile, I greeted my own brother while she talked to hers.

Neal grinned widely when I threw my arms around him. Pulling away to hold him at arm's length, I critically examined his outfit.

He was wearing black slacks with a light gray shirt that sparkled in the light, half concealed by the black vest he'd added. His classic bowler hat completed the outfit.

"Not bad," I told him, giggling when he gave me a look.

"I wish I could say the same," Neal said with a mock sigh. "Your dress is a little too revealing for my taste."

"Well, it's a good thing I don't dress to suit your taste," I shot back.

Neal looked amused. "No but I dare say that outfit suits _somebody's _taste."

I rolled my eyes.

Neal's face turned serious as he beckoned me closer. "Look, I know something's not right between you and Dimitri. You're going to tell me all about it and we'll sort it out. Together. But for tonight, you will have fun and act like everything's perfectly fine."

"I don't think those two go hand in hand," I joked before sobering up. "Don't worry. No one will know."

"Good. Now go and mingle. It's your party!"

I huffed, pushing him away slightly. "I'm so done with mingling. But if you insist."

Thankfully, there weren't many that demanded to talk to me like they had earlier. Perhaps it was the age difference but this party was lively, full of life and fun without all the boring conversations like earlier in the evening. Dimitri and I weren't forced to stick close- we could mingle on our own.

And we did.

In fact, I'd not caught sight of Dimitri in a while now.

But I did catch sight of Tasha while I was chatting with Jillian Mastrano, the girl Eddie was in love with but couldn't do anything about. To my horror, Tasha smiled when she caught my eyes and began walking towards me.

"Rose?" Jill touched my arm hesitantly. "Is everything okay?"

We were sitting at the bar, holding glasses of vodka that my drunkard of a cousin had pressed into our hands. "I'm fine, Jill." I said distractedly.

As Tasha approached, I turned around in my barstool to scan for exit routes.

Just when I was about to walk away, I caught sight of Adrian looking at me with a knowing smirk.

I didn't want to talk to him now. He already knew about my so called jealously. He'd never let me escape Tasha-

"Rose!" Tasha called, materializing in front of me. "Hi!"

_Too late._

"Hey," I smiled weakly, sinking back into the stool.

When Jill elbowed me, I remembered my manners and introduced her to Tasha.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Jill." Tasha smiled at her before turning to me. "Rose, have you see Dimka?"

Huh, there was the ray of sunshine I'd been looking for: Dimitri was apparently far away from Tasha.

Had he seen her, in that little black dress she was wearing? Had he liked it, admired it even?

I'd be so pissed if I found that he did. I could barely get a reaction out of him and-

Shit! I needed to get a grip.

In an attempt to regain control of myself, I impulsively downed the vodka I'd held in my hand.

Blinking hazily as my throat burned, I remembered that I was yet to answer Tasha: "Dimitri's around somewhere. Haven't seen him, sorry."

Did my voice really sound as hard and remorseless as it did to my own ears?

Tasha's icy blue eyes narrowed curiously.

"That's okay," she said with a nod. "I'll find him myself. See you around."

"Why do you need him, you bitch?" I muttered under my breath when she left, snatching up another shot of vodka from the bar and downing it as well.

Jill stopped me from demanding another glass. "Rose, that's enough."

I rolled my eyes. "Relax, Jilly bean. I'm fine."

"Are you?" she asked skeptically before her eyes flickered down to where her hand was locked on mine, preventing me from getting myself another glass of vodka. "I don't meant to interfere, Rose, really but you don't look fine. Not that you don't look _fine_, I mean- you look hot. But not _fine_ fine, you know? But-"

"Jill." I cut off her rambling. "What did you want to say?"

Jill took a deep breath. "What was that with Natasha?"

"Nothing," I dropped my glass onto the table with a clank. "That was nothing. It was just Dimitri fucking Belikov screwing with my head as always."

Jill was silent for a moment before she stood up. "I'll be back in a minute."

I waved her off, eyeing some of the couples on the dance floor. With my luck, one of them might be Tasha and my dearly beloved betrothed.

"Rose?" I looked up to see Madhri by my side which was a surprise in and about itself. She was dressed scantier than usual and had been surrounded by a group of men when I'd first entered the hall.

It was shocking to see her away from her gang of admirers. It was even more shocking to see her approach me with a glass of whiskey in her hands which she held out for me to take.

What was she playing it?

"What do you want?" I asked her suspiciously.

"Nothing at all," she said sweetly before her smile transformed before my eyes; growing sharper and more mocking. "I just thought you could use a drink."

"And why is that?"

Madhri shrugged, her eyes wide and innocent as always. "Oh, I don't know-maybe because you're betrothed to one man and desire another?"

I gaped at her before laughing incredulously. "Say what now?"

Madhri smile flickered but remained sickly sweet. "I saw you with Adrian earlier. Of course, I know that he's wanted you for a long time so the surprising part for me was that you finally got rid of the stick up your ass and accepted him."

I laughed again but there was no humor in it. "I've not accepted anything. Adrian's my friend and will always be my friend. That's all there is to it."

Madhri narrowed her eyes but before she could speak, I straightened up and leaned closer so that she could see how serious I was.

"If you spread any such rumors, Madhri, I swear I'll forget you're Eddie's wife." I hissed, glaring at her. "And that's a bad thing, Madhri, very bad because it's the only thing that's protected you from me so far."

Madhri stepped away, shaking her head. "You're crazy, Rose. Absolutely crazy."

I smirked. "Of course I am. You should know better than to mess with me."

"What's going on?" Jill had returned with Lissa in tow.

I grinned at her. "Madhri was just leaving, weren't you darling?"

Madhri left in a huff, not before glaring at Jill.

"I see you brought reinforcements," I told Jill, my voice casual and barely betraying the anger that I was feeling. I was so tired of being treated like I'd break any moment.

I wouldn't.

They should know that it takes more than a man to break me.

Even if that man was Dimitri Belikov.

Jill looked at me guiltily. "I thought Lissa could help."

"She can't," I said shortly, flagging down the bartender. "Two shots of vodka, please."

"Rose," Lissa gripped my arm when Jill retreated. "I know you're tensed about the situation with Dimitri-"

"Don't say his name," I told her firmly. "For five fucking minutes, I want to _forget_ that he exists."

Lissa's eyes softened. "I'm sorry."

I sighed and leaned my head against her shoulder.

"If it makes you feel better," she said after a moment. "I think he's just as affected."

I snorted. "You can't possibly know that. He never slips with that damned mask of his."

Lissa laughed. "No. He doesn't, does he? But I know what I saw."

"And what was that?"

"He couldn't keep his eyes off you," Lissa told me softly. "-not at the party earlier and definitely not now, especially with you looking the way you do."

I didn't know if I could believe it. But I appreciated the effort, nonetheless.

"Thanks, Liss." I jumped down from the stool. "I'd better get back to my mingling duties."

Unfortunately, mingling wasn't much of a distraction anymore. No matter who I was talking to, my mind reverted to thinking about Dimitri.

It was annoying as hell.

Pretty soon, I bumped into another person who knew a little too much.

"Hotness alert!" Adrian whistled as he looked at me, "Damn, Rose! You look...you look-"

"Hot?" I contributed helpfully.

Adrian nodded, eyes twinkling. "Beyond gorgeous."

I smirked. "I know."

"I'd ask you to dance," Adrian said, eyeing my dress. "But I'm not sure I'll be able to control myself with you looking like that."

I laughed it off. "I'm in no mood to dance with anyone."

Adrian's smile turned sly. "Not even your betrothed?"

"I'm so damn tired of hearing that word." I groused.

Adrian took a step closer, landing right in front of me. "Perhaps we can remedy that-"

"Adrian." Neal's voice cut through the air from behind me, sounding polite but dangerous; like steel and silk and so much like our father. "You know better than to step so close to my sister."

Adrian smiled slightly and nodded with resignation. "Neal."

Neal's smile was as pleasant as ever but I could clearly tell he was not pleased. He never did like Adrian much. "It's nice to meet you, Adrian. But you'll have to excuse us. I'm taking my dear little sister to dance."

"But I-"

Neal cut me off by pulling me onto the dance floor. He didn't speak as we fell into the waltz and neither did I.

"What's the deal with Adrian?" Neal asked abruptly, spinning me in a circle.

I frowned, trying to gauge his mood. "Adrian was just-"

"Rose." Neal interrupted me, his tone now weary. "He likes you. Unless you like him in return, do _not_ encourage him."

I looked into my brother's blue eyes that were uncharacteristically serious.

I straightened my shoulders, gripping his hand tighter as we moved in coordination to the music. "I didn't mean to do it. And he knows that I don't like him like that."

Neal nodded once before relaxing his face into a smile. "Good."

He twirled me around till the song ended before spinning me abruptly and letting go of me. The move was so unexpected that I thought I'd fall but Neal had it perfectly choreographed.

Instead of falling or even stumbling, I smoothly ended up in a different set of arms.

A different but familiar set of arms.

My hands pressed against someone's sturdy chest, in an attempt to break a fall that never came. My whole upper body weight was more or less on this person as I leaned on him heavily.

Perhaps it was the aftershave that gave him away or the inexplicable heat that always sprung up between us. Either way, I was well acquainted with this person who'd caught me.

Inhaling sharply, I removed my hands from his chest and looked up hesitantly.

Warm brown eyes met mine as a new song blasted through the speakers.

Smoothly, he adjusted my body weight in his arms to help me recover my balance; catching hold of my right hand in his left and holding our joined hands away from us as his right hand rested on my waist, careful to not venture into my bare back. Reluctantly, I placed my left hand on his shoulder, unsure about dancing to this song with him.

Because, it wasn't just an ordinary dance.

Oh no! To my absolutely fantastic luck, the song that had just started was for a tango.

Yes,_ tango._

The most romantic, passionate and sensuous dance ever.

And I got to dance it with my betrothed who I was angry with and who was pissed off at me in return.

Joy! Not.

His eyes remained unreadable and intense as we fell into position along with all the others on the dance floor.

_I bust the windows out your car  
And no it didn't mend my broken heart_

I didn't look away from him as I stalked backward in tune to the beat, the distance quickly reclaimed by Dimitri as he moved gracefully and completely in sync with me.

It shouldn't surprise me that the man was so graceful.

Just another cap in his feather, wasn't it?

As much as I hated it, I loved this lack of distance between us. My hands trailed along his chest in between steps, delighting in that familiar heady electricity that I'd missed.

_I'll probably always have these ugly scars  
But right now I don't care about that part_

I twirled in his arms, ending back much closer to him that I'd been before. This close, I could make out the tiny tears and pores in his face, and a small scar near his left eye.

My breathing hitched as his warm breath washed over me.

This was prime time torture.

_I bust the windows out your car  
After I saw you laying next to her_

Her? Tasha fucking Ozera, that's who.

But Dimitri's evidently had another person in his mind, going by his next words, whispered smoothly in my ear: "How do you know Adrian?"

_I didn't wanna but I took my turn  
I'm glad I did it cause you had to learn  
_

I threw my leg in the air as we leaned sideways. Dimitri's hand slipped slightly on my waist, his fingers just barely touching the skin at my back.

A sharp jolt of electricity shot through me at the touch, almost making me forget his question.

Almost.

"Adrian?" I echoed harshly, cursing myself for sounding breathless. "That's who you want to talk about?"

_I must admit it helped a little bit  
To think of how you'd feel when you saw it_

Dimitri tugged me closer as we straightened, my arms winding around his neck. The air between us was thick and heady, sparked with more than just anger. But there was anger, plenty of it in both of us. It showed in our little too aggressive handling of each other, in the zealous steps we took and the way we stalked and caught each other in twirls.

_I didn't know that I had that much strength  
But I'm glad you'll see what happens when  
You see you can't just play with people's feelings_

"What's going on between you and Adrian?" Dimitri's voice was low but sharp, his eyes burning as he looked at me.

We were forced to look away from each other as we took the next step, holding our heads stiff and away from each other.

Dimitri spun me in one rough circle before I turned away and let go on my body in a backward motion, trusting Dimitri to catch me.

He did, straightening us gracefully before spinning me around to face him.

"My relationship with Adrian is the same as your relationship with Tasha." I told him in what I hoped was a steady voice.

He was about to reply but I cut him off. "Oh wait!" I mocked, angered all over again. "It's not the same. You see, I wasn't flirting with Adrian."

_Tell them you love them and don't mean it  
You'll probably say that it was juvenile  
But I think that I deserve to smile  
_

Dimitri's eyes narrowed. "Are you saying that I was_ flirting_ with Tasha?"

I spun so that I was facing away from him, with my back pressed to his chest. Ignoring the blazing inferno that lit in my stomach at his warmth on my back, I turned my face sideways to say: "No, I'm not _saying _that, Dimitri. I am, however, _noticing_ it."

Congrats on not acting like a jealous bitch, Rose. Bravo!

Where was all this bitchiness coming from?

_I bust the windows out your car  
You know I did it cause I left my mark_

We walked sideways in that position; my back pressed to his chest. When he spoke, it was directly into my ear. "I can't talk to you like this," he stated, more to himself than to me.

Despite his words, goosebumps formed on my skin at the proximity of his lips to my skin.

_Wrote my initials with a crow bar  
And then I drove off into the dark_

I smirked, wanting him to feel a fraction of the tornado I was feeling.

"Where was this good sense yesterday when you were busy criticizing my actions?"

He turned me around to face him and dipped me slightly, looking into my eyes searchingly.

I don't know what he found in my eyes; I withheld nothing from him.

Whatever it was, he didn't seem to like it.

_I bust the windows out your car  
You should feel lucky that that's all I did  
After five whole years of this bullshit  
Gave you all of me and you played with it  
_

Dimitri grasped my shoulders and spun me. I let my body go slack so that I fell back into his arms, my hands loosely held around his neck.

He looked down at me steadily before nodding.

"I deserved that," he acknowledged, to my shock and surprise.

He pulled me up slowly, both of us looking into each other's eyes.

What did he mean by that? Was he indirectly apologizing for yesterday?

_I must admit it helped a little bit  
To think of how you'd feel when you saw it_

We stalked sideways, turning us heads in tune to the beat before twirling once again. Each of our steps had half turns so I found myself catching occasional glimpses of the dark emotion in Dimitri's eyes.

Why couldn't he just tell me what he wanted to?

Why did that damned mask make it so hard to read him?

_I bust the windows out your car  
But it don't compare to my broken heart_

"For what it's worth-" his voice was soft when he spoke, his lips millimeters away from mine as we sashayed across the dance floor. "-I was not flirting with Tasha. I don't like her that way, never have."

I resisted the urge to close the distance between our lips.

_You could never feel how I felt that day  
Until that happens, baby, you don't know pain_

I turned my back to Dimitri and bent my knees so that I was halfway to the floor with only Dimitri holding me up. His touch was driving me crazy, especially when his fingers brushed against my bare skin as we moved.

I never thought I'd regret wearing this dress.

But I did. How could I not when his slightest touches were driving me crazy?

So far, I'd blocked out a majority of this electricity between us, focused as I was on my anger. But he'd just said-

As if in tune with my thoughts, Dimitri's lips turned up at the corners as he pulled me up and pushed me away smoothly, keeping a hold of me with his left hand as we extended our free hands outwards.

I looked up at him through my lashes, my mouth growing dry at the intense look in his eyes.

Desire, I realized.

He wanted this as much as I did.

_You broke my heart, so I broke your car  
You caused me pain, so I did the same  
_

I twirled back into his arms and let myself go; falling limp in Dimitri's arms as he dipped me fully. Just as quickly, he pulled my up into his arms and raised his arms up to twirl me in the air.

I laughed at the movement as the skirt of my dress swirled around my legs beautifully, Dimitri's answering chuckle music to my ears.

Up in the air, held securely by Dimitri's strong arms with my face tipped up to the heavens, I felt a wild abandon wash over me.

I didn't care that Dimitri and I weren't exactly on the best terms at the moment. I knew that I was safe with Dimitri; he would never let me fall. Perhaps that applied to our lives too…

Whatever it was, I knew I'd rather be with him-in this moment, than with anyone else.

Gently, Dimitri lowered me down as though he was as reluctant to end this moment as I was. His arms were fully wrapped around me, holding me closer than I've ever been to him.

Our chest heaved in sync, our hearts pounding rhythmically to the beat of the music. Dimitri's eyes were wide and alive at that moment as he looked up at me, reflecting this strange euphoria that I was feeling.

And then I saw it.

Awe and wonder mixed with something else swirled in his eyes, adding fuel to the fire burgeoning in my belly.

At that moment, I wanted him bad-

"Give it up to King Belikov and Princess Rose!" a voice shouted through the mike, followed by rambunctious applause that broke the little bubble Dimitri and I had been wrapped in. We separated and smiled at the audience but our gazes locked again in a moment.

_I bust the windows out your car__…_

No, we were not completely okay yet. But we would be…

* * *

**AN: I don't know what I've done with this chapter! I just hope you liked it! Leave a review and let me know your thoughts :)**

**For the tango, I watched a lot of videos and tried to write the scene as it should be but I'm not sure I pulled it off. The song used here is 'Bust the windows out your car' by Jasmine Sullivan. This is used in the tango scene in step up 3 so check out that video if you haven't ;)**

**Now, for the important part-**

**A week ago, I received my call letter to work in TCS, an IT company which had recruited me and several others last year. As a result, I have to move halfway across the country for my training on 6 February and my work location is yet to be disclosed. I've been busy preparing the required documents and packing. Hence forth, the updates may be delayed and I hope you can understand that. Thank you :)**


	18. Building bridges

**Wow! Well, this feels weird. So much has happened in my life since the last update that I'm now struggling to get back to this writing zone. Anyway, long story short, it's work that's been keeping me busy. Thankfully, I have a few chapters written beforehand so hopefully, you won't have to wait too long between updates :)  
**

**This chapter is more of a filler but necessary to get back into the groove :p**

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

**Rose**

"So that's what happened." Neal leaned back on his seat, blue eyes thoughtful as they rested on me.

"Yup." I nodded and sipped my tea.

We were at the Nakshatra, sitting at a table beside the brook in my backyard and catching up with all the drama of the past few days.

Despite it being fairly early in the morning, I know that my mother and her minions would descend on the place any minute now and drag me away, despite the fact that the ceremony was scheduled for twelve in the afternoon.

Until then, I was determined to enjoy the peace and quiet with my most favorite person in the world.

Well, as peaceful as it could be when discussing the huge blowout that had happened between me and Dimitri. I'd only just finished telling Neal everything. To my shock and horror, Neal wasn't the least bit surprised with the way I'd behaved.

I hadn't yet told him about my fit of jealously. Would that surprise him when nothing else had?

"Are they coming today?" My brother asked suddenly.

"Who?" I asked, biting into a crumpet.

"The Ranshams." Neal answered. "Are they coming?"

"Nope. She's not allowed to travel. They apologized a million times, though."

Neal nodded, his gaze still thoughtful as he rubbed the light stubble that he was sporting.

"You should shave," I told him, waving my crumpet in the air as I gestured to his face. "Rugged look doesn't suit you."

"Ladies find it sexy," he said with a rogue grin.

I grimaced. "You sound like Adrian."

It was Neal's turn to grimace.

He never did like Adrian much, mostly because he was Madhri's brother. But something about Adrian rubbed Neal the wrong way.

On a superficial level, both of them seemed quite similar to each other, in the way that they were both were big shot painters and were quite fond of womanly company.

But that's where the similarities ended.

Adrian was aggressive in flirting with women, often not even understanding that a woman may not be interested in him. He was a manifestation of the word 'playboy' and a raging alcoholic. While I didn't know for sure, I'd heard rumors that he dabbled with drugs too.

Neal was the opposite.

He was suave where Adrian was roguish, stylish and smooth without a hair out of place while Adrian was messy without a care in the world. Neal's flirting was subtle and understated, a wink here and a smirk there. He was all silky words and charm and it worked for him. I'd seen women go crazy when Neal so much as looked at them while Adrian's appeal was more restricted to the women who preferred such rakish anti-thesis of a gentleman.

Dimitri was something else entirely. He, of course, belonged in the famous 'tall, dark and handsome' category. I'd never seen him woo women so I couldn't really comment but I doubt he'd have any trouble whatsoever. He was hot, _stop walking and get hit by traffic_ kind of hot and a perfect mix of dapper and disheveled; his wrinkle free suits contradicting nicely with his slightly unruly hair and-

"What are you thinking about?" Neal's comment broke through my cloud of contemplation.

I grinned at my brother impishly. "Just wondering what sort of men are more appealing, you know-"

Neal spread his arms and looked around with a sardonic smile as if we had an audience. "My baby sister, ladies and gentlemen."

"I'm twenty," I pointed out unnecessarily.

Neal's expression softened. "I know. How did you grow up so soon?"

I shrugged lightly, deciding to make a joke before he could make me cry. "I had to grow up. Or you'd have continued to pick on me and drag me to those horrid art classes."

Neal didn't take the bait though. With a small smile to acknowledge my comment, he diverted the topic to the original one: the tenuous relationship between Dimitri and I. "What next, Rose? How are you planning to resolve this issue?"

"I don't know," I confessed. "I'm kinda waiting for him to open it."

"That's fair," Neal nodded. "He was the one who got angry before hearing you out. But Rose-" Neal leaned forward earnestly "-you do know it was you who started it, don't you?"

"Yes but he didn't have to-"

"No, he didn't have to," Neal interrupted, understanding my point. "That was his mistake. Your mistake was not trusting him enough to tell him the truth in the first place."

"I trust him!" I burst out. I knew I was to blame partly but why was he saying that I didn't trust Dimitri?

"Not fully." Neal stated firmly. "You trust him at a basic level, yes, but you didn't trust that he would have a solution to your dilemma. You didn't trust that he'd let you go. You were convinced that your way was the only right way and that he'd try to stop you."

"He would have!" I argued. "You should have heard him, Neal. He didn't want me to go out."

"Yes but only because of the threat to your life," Neal pointed out. "He was doing what he thought was best for you. Who's to say that he wouldn't have found some way for you to meet the Ransham couple? Who's to say that he would have opposed you at all? He might even have offered to go with you."

I exhaled shakily and drew my fingers through my hair.

Neal was right.

He was so right and I-

"Hey," Neal cupped my chin and made me look up at him. "Things like this happen, kiddo. You can't prevent them. All you can do is learn the lesson and move on."

"But it's all my fault-"

"No," Neal said sternly. "You are both to blame for what happened. You did what you thought was right and so did he. More often than not, emotions overshadow logic. You know that."

Hr dragged his chair over to put his arm around me. I lay my head on his shoulder, suddenly feeling small and overwhelmed. Where was the mighty princess of Loha now? There was only a little girl who understood that she was still learning about life. People often said that their fathers were larger than life, their guiding force but for me, it was my brother.

He was my superman.

"What would I do without you?" I whispered into Neal's shirt.

"You'd be fine," Neal soothed, squeezing my shoulder. "I'm just pointing out things that you already know."

I shook my head, quietly disagreeing. So far, I'd done a spectacular job of blocking out any thoughts of the future. I couldn't bear to think about leaving Loha, leaving Neal…

But I knew that the dam would break one day.

And it would be messy.

For now, I was content in the knowledge that Neal was close by…

"Rose!" My mother's voice penetrated my conscious. "Wake up."

I opened my eyes slowly, blinking against the light.

I was in my bed and my mother was looming above me. "Get up, Rose."

"Where's Neal?" I asked her, rubbing my eyes.

"He left a minute ago," my mother said briskly, helping me to my feet. "Take a bath and come into the parlor room. Quick now."

"Yes, ma'am."

On my way to the bathroom, I grabbed my phone and sent a quick text.

To Dimitri.

After my conversation with Neal, I knew I had to take the first step forward. Even if it meant swallowing my pride.

_I'm sorry -R_

I could only type those two words, hoping that he would understand how much this took from me.

Less than a minute later, I got his reply.

_I should be the one apologizing -D_

I smirked and typed,

_What's stopping you? :p _

_-R_

As I got into the tub and washed my hair, my phone pinged again. Not caring about my wet hands, I pulled the phone towards me to look at his text.

_I'd much rather do it face to face_, he'd written. _Can we talk after the ceremony? -D_

I huffed as I thought about last night.

_Hope it's not about Adrian again -R_

His reply took three full minutes: _No. I'm sorry about that -D_

I typed,_ We're full of apologies, aren't we? -R_

_Isn't that better than arguing? -D_

_It is -R_

After hitting send, I quickly typed another message and sent it before I could change my mind.

_I don't like Adrian that way either. Just FYI -R_

He had reassured me about Tasha, after all. It was only fair that I do the same.

Not wanting things to get awkward, I send another message before he could reply.

_Mom's here to help me get ready. Got to go -R_

I could almost sense his amusement on receiving three back to back messages. And at the thought of me being at my mother's mercy.

He proved that right in his next message.

_Try to refrain from ripping your hair out. Or hers. See you at the ceremony -D_

* * *

**Traasa**

"Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

"Avasha Kekudha!"

Traasa soldiers rarely ever indulged in celebration but the occasion demanded it. They'd come a long way; each day, each mission taking them a step closer to their goal of freeing Russovia from the clutches of monarchy.

Gregory smiled as he listened to the hundredth recital of the incident of Gayodha blast; how their brave comrades had successfully sneaked into Loha and succeeded in terrorizing the village of Gayodha. They'd made it clear that Loha would be in danger by associating itself with Russovia.

With Belikov.

Traasa knew that Loha wouldn't sever ties with Russovia over the Gayodha blast but the impact was enough. Loha had to know that they weren't safe anymore. Traasa had successfully registered itself as a threat to the Belikov family and anyone close to them.

So yes, Gregory was very happy and slightly jealous that he had not yet been given such an opportunity yet. He wanted nothing more than to die for his country but as his superiors often reminded them, they'd all get a chance to serve the country and attain martyrdom. They would die for their country but they had to live for their country first.

They had to fight.

* * *

**Rose.**

"Are you done yet?" I asked for what seemed like the hundredth time today.

"Not yet, Rose." Mia said from somewhere above me. I've had my eyes closed for the past half hour as Mia and her group of beauticians worked on my makeup. I was getting impatient and antsy, worried about a hundred different things and imagining a hundred different scenarios of how the engagement ceremony would play out. Forcing me to sit still with my eyes closed was _not_ helping.

"Another one?" I asked irritably as I felt the cool metal of a chain being slid into place around my neck.

"Yes," came Lissa's voice followed by a light slap on my hand that had automatically come up to touch the chain. "Quit fiddling with it!"

"It's heavy," I whined.

"But it looks good," Mia insisted.

"Don't complain, Rose." Mom said from my right. "It's unbecoming."

"Besides," Lissa said hastily, sensing that I was about to snap at my mother, "It's necessary for you to look the part of a Queen-in-waiting."

"Precisely," Mom's voice sounded closer now. "After today, you represent both Loha and Russovia. You must dress like a queen, not as a mere princess."

I scoffed outwardly but suppressed a shudder.

She was right.

After today's ceremony, I wouldn't just be King Ibrahim Mazur's daughter anymore.

I would be Emperor Dimitri Belikov's fiancee too.

My responsibilities would be multiplied by a hundred with none of the freedom a princess enjoys. If I messed up, my father wouldn't be there to fix it anymore. I'd be answerable to no one but my husband, with an entire country to suffer if we ever took a wrong decision. So much power, more than I've ever known before but it came at a very high price of responsibility.

"I don't think I'm ready to be a queen," I blurted out.

Surprisingly, no harsh rebuke came from my mother. Instead, her voice was gentler than I'd ever heard before when she said, "No one's ever ready for something like that, Rose. You learn it gradually."

"I think you'll be an excellent queen," came Sydney's soft voice unexpectedly.

"Of course she will." Lissa's tone was a little sharp when she addressed Sydney. She was still not over the whole 'running away to meet the Ranshams' incident.

"You can open your eyes now, Rose." Mia said as if to avoid any confrontation between the two.

"Finally!" Jumping to my feet, I strode over to the full length mirror to examine my reflection.

I was wearing a _lehenga choli_, typical for formal and ceremonial occasions in Loha; _Lehenga_ being the long skirt and _choli_ being the tight-fit crop top with a low neck and short sleeves.

My_ choli_ was dark green with thick red borders, embroidered with golden thread work. The neckline was low but respectable enough, highlighting the long gold earrings and matching heavy gold necklace with emeralds surrounding the huge ruby pendant. A long and thin golden chain that Lissa had slipped on had the royal Lohan symbol of the majestic eagle emblazoned on the pendant.

The _lehenga _or skirt was golden, ankle-length and embellished by heavy thread work in green and red. Tiny rubies and emeralds emblazoned the lehenga, forming beautiful patterns in green and red to match the top.

My mid-riff was bare as was most of my back, displaying my toned physique and lending a seductive edge to the outfit. The _dupatta _or the shawl, was more of a accessory accompanying the lehenga choli. Mine was red and translucent, with the same thick embroidery at the ends. It was folded into pleats and hung from the right shoulder. One of the stylists had decided to bring the end of the shawl which was at the back, up from behind to be wound around my left elbow.

My mother had insisted on adding a _maang tika _to complete the ensemble. It was not something I'd ever worn before because it was usually meant for brides.

The _maang tika_ is a long, single-threaded chain with a hook at one end and a pendant at the other. It's to be worn at the hair partition taken from the center of the head. The hook holds the tika at the hair end, while the pendant falls on the exact center of the forehead. The pendant I wore was round, made of gold with a ruby set at the center of the round structure. An emerald drop dangled from the round part, resting against my forehead.

My hair were free, almost reaching mid-back. The ends of my hair were curled and styled nicely. While my hair was one of my best features on a regular day, it looked especially thick and shiny today.

My make-up was neutral, nothing over the top. My lips were cherry red, looking quite good against my tan skin. Red and gold bangles tinkled together as I raised my hand to brush back a tendril of hair, noticing how prominent the designs on my hands looked today.

I'd applied Mehendi: a temporary tattoo type henna designs applied on the hands, yesterday night so that I'd get a good dark red color for the ceremony. The patterns were bold and beautiful but they'd fade away quickly. Nonetheless, my hands should look good today, what with the ring exchanging ceremony.

It was Lissa's quiet sniffle that brought me back from my self admiration.

"You look good," Lissa sniffed when I looked at her enquiringly.

Sydney and Mia nodded in agreement.

"Beautiful," Mom corrected her quietly. "You look beautiful, Rose."

Wow.

That's never happened before.

My mother was actually complimenting me?

I was fully aware about my looks, make no mistake. I've always taken pride in my appearance. My skin color was like the inside of an almond, a shade darker than typical tan skin of the Lohans, and that gave me a somewhat exotic look. With dark brown eyes I'd inherited from my father and facial structure that I'd inherited from my mother, I knew exactly how attractive I was perceived to be.

Moreover, I looked better today, all dressed up and dolled up. However, despite being vain about my appearance, my mother's always been there to knock me down a peg. But not today.

I turned back to the mirror and smirked, my ego fully inflated now.

"Dimitri won't know what hit him," Lissa joked but her tears ruined the effect.

Lissa's tears were to be expected but my mother too had suspiciously bright eyes.

Double wow.

"Save the waterworks for my marriage," I joked, a little uncomfortable with Mom's behavior. "Is it time to go yet?"

It was a valid question. All of them were dressed up already, wearing lehenga choli in various shades far less grand than mine except for mom who was wearing a beautiful saree. Now that I was dressed up, we had nothing to do.

"I didn't know you were so eager to get engaged, Rose." Mia teased and Lissa laughed. I ignored them as I turned to Sydney who consulted her watch and made a quick call before nodding. "It's time."

Taking a deep breath, I swallowed my nervousness. Things between Dimitri and I were not yet resolved and here I was, pledging to marry him.

Was I ready? No way.

This was far from being an ideal situation but there was nothing I could do until I talked to Dimitri.

It was just strange twist of circumstance that we had to get engaged first before resolving our issues. But hey, it could have been worse.

* * *

**AN: Okay, I know the chapter wasn't good but because it's a filler, I'm hoping you guys can forgive me :)**

**If things go according to my plan, you may have a new chapter as soon as next week. Keep your fingers crossed :p**


	19. The betrothal is full and final

**Hi! :)**

**After a whole lot of traveling and changing cities and stuff, I've finally settled down in a whole new city and adjusting to a whole new lifestyle. Even now, I'm not sure that I'll stay in the same place seeing as how I've not yet been allocated a project in my company but let's not dwell on that. Let's all enjoy the engagement of one Rosemarie Mazur to the handsome king, Dimitri Belikov :p**

_**This chapter is dedicated to one of my best friends. Nam, if you're reading this, it's for you :)**_

* * *

**Rose**

"Wait here, Rose." My mother ordered as she left the room next to _Niketana_, the age-old engagement hall at the palace. All my ancestors had had their engagement ceremony in that particular hall, right from the very first king of Loha. Funnily enough, he'd never even seen his fiancee before the ceremony. Yeah, I was better off by leaps and bounds.

"It's so strange," I mused as I sat down with Mia, Lissa and Sydney. "The concept of engagement ceremony is nothing new but why is the Russovian version so different from ours?"

"That's the beauty of it," Sydney pointed out with a smile. "It would be boring if all of us had the same traditions, wouldn't it?"

Mia agreed while Lissa just acted as though Sydney hadn't spoken.

"Lissa!" I said sharply, fed up of her behavior. "Stop it."

Lissa's jade eyes widened innocently.

"It's not Sydney's fault that I went to see the Ranshams," I told her clearly. "It was mine. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about it but I knew you'd have tried to stop me."

"You should have been stopped," Lissa said with her eyes narrowed. "You shouldn't have been encouraged to flee-"

I scoffed. "I'm not a child, Liss. Do you really believe that Sydney or you, for that matter, could have stopped me? If I wanted to go, I would've found a way to go. You know that."

"Yes, but-"

"Oh, come on, Lissa!" Mia interjected. "Rose does what she wants. Why are you blaming Sydney for that?"

"Well, if she hadn't shown her the letter-"

"-then I wouldn't have remained true to myself," Sydney retorted obstinately. "That letter came for Rose and giving it to her was the right thing to do."

"Lissa, please…" I appealed to her when it looked like she had more to say. "I did what I had to do. Or, what I thought I had to do. If Dimitri can forgive me for breaking a promise, you can forgive Sydney for whatever offense you think she's committed."

There was absolute silence for a moment as all three blondes stared at me. As if in sync, all three of them started talking at once.

"So that explains the tension between the two of you!"

"You broke a promise?"

"_He_ forgave you? He was equally wrong-"

"Did you make up? Did you kiss-"

"Oh, for the love of god!" I clapped my hands over my ears, my bangles jingling violently. "It's my engagement today! I have enough on my plate without adding your truckload of questions to it."

"But-"

I held up a hand, silencing them instantly. "I'll have you all thrown out of the room if you don't shut up."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Mia said with a fake simper.

"Princess?" Daphne, one of my maids entered the room hesitantly. She must have knocked but we hadn't heard it over the ruckus. "Your presence has been requested in the hall, Your Grace."

I dismissed her with a nod and turned back to my friends silently.

"This is it," Lissa said with a huge smile as she took my hands in hers. "You'll officially be Lady Belikova today."

"No one will ever call her that-" Mia pointed out, "-which is a pity because it has a nice ring to it."

"Speaking of rings," Sydney said. "Do you know that Russovian marriages generally consist of exchanging rings?"

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Yes," Sydney nodded. "Since your marriage will be according to our custom, the Belikovs decided to fulfill a part of their marriage ritual in the engagement ceremony?"

"What does that mean?" Mia asked her.

Lissa gasped before Sydney could answer. "Does that mean Rose is as good as married today?"

"Freaking out, guys!" I pointed out breathlessly as I stared at the ceiling.

"No, it doesn't really mean that." Sydney clarified. "However, they generally consider engagement ceremony as half a marriage."

"So, Rose is as good as halfway married?" Mia asked.

"Stop it, please!" I whispered weakly, wondering if I was about to have a panic attack.

"Oh, come on!" Mia hugged me quickly before stepping back. "Do you know how many women would kill to be Dimitri's Belikov's fiancee? He'll be all yours after today, you lucky girl."

I rolled my eyes. Sydney stepped forward, standing beside Lissa to look at me quietly.

"There's no backing out after this," I told them softly. "_This is it_."

Lissa shook her head. "Rose, this ceremony changes nothing. It'll just make the betrothal official, that's all."

I shook my head. "It can't be broken without severe repercussions-"

"Rose," Sydney interrupted strictly. "Don't lie to yourself. You wouldn't have broken the betrothal, you know that. You didn't want to break it before and you will not want to break it in the future. Lissa's right, the ceremony changes nothing."

That's what I repeated to myself as I walked towards the hall with Lissa and Mia walking behind me. The ceremony wouldn't change anything. Dimitri would still be the same man I'd gotten to know in the past few weeks.

Nothing would change.

The doors of the hall were thrown open when I approached and the herald announced my presence loudly.

The noise level from inside the hall fell abruptly and a hush fell over the gathering, emphasizing the soft classical music that had been playing in the background.

As I walked in, I noted how beautiful the hall looked, all decked up for the occasion. Flowers garlands hung from the ceiling and windows were thrown wide open, bringing in the scent of flowers from the gardens. Sunlight poured in through the windows and the skylights, giving a happy and bright glow to the hall.

Seats were arranged to face the front of the hall where two grand divans stood facing each other. It was clear that the divan on the left was meant for me as Mom and Dad stood behind it and Olena stood next to the divan on the right.

Mom and Olena wore identical smiles when they saw me while Dad seemed a little emotional. Viktoria was grinning happily and-

_Dimitri…_

He was standing with Neal, looking gorgeous in his navy blue _sherwani, _which is a knee-length, fitted coat usually buttoning up to the neck. Dimitri's was partially buttoned, however, giving a glimpse of his toned chest. Sapphires and black diamonds formed swirls and designs on the navy blue coat. He wore black pants to accompany the sherwani. The colors looked so hot on him that it was surprise no one was drooling. Or maybe they were. Hopefully, I wasn't.

It was with difficulty that I tore my eyes away from him and met Neal's bright blue eyes which were full of laughter. He must have seen me staring at Dimitri.

Damn it, I'd thought I was discrete.

Tearing my eyes away from them, I looked around at the assembled people, returning smiles as I walked. There was a faint buzzing beneath my skin, like a thousand ants were crawling underneath.

Having Dimitri's intense eyes fixed on you tended to have that effect. Faintly, I wondered if he liked what he saw.

When I neared the front of the hall, Neal came over to escort me to my seat.

"Shut up," I warned under my breath as I gripped his elbow.

Neal chuckled softly. "I didn't say anything, kiddo."

With a kiss to my cheek, he left to sit beside Viktoria in the front row, next to Eddie and Madhri. Adrian sat with them and when I met his eyes, I got a small smile in return.

Glad to see him okay with everything, I moved to sit on the divan with my mother and father flanking me. Olena then sat down on the divan in front of us. With a split second hesitation, Dimitri gracefully sat down beside Olena.

A _pandit:_ a priest well versed in Russovian traditions, came forward and sat on the chair between our divans.

"Shall we begin, Your Majesties?" He asked, looking between us.

Olena nodded.

The pandit cleared his throat and began with raised voice: "Under the grace of the stars _ashwini_ and _rohini, _in the auspicious time of the planet _Guru,_ we have gathered here to witness the engagement ceremony between King Dimitri Belikov of Russovia and Princess Rose Mazur of Loha. This ritual marks the beginning of the wedding concord."

My eyes sought out Dimitri's, which were already on me.

Something warm and powerful shot between us the moment our eyes met. His gaze was intense as he looked at me, something hidden in those depths of brown, something that I didn't understand. I hastily averted my eyes from him as the pandit continued.

"The engagement starts with the ring ceremony which is to formalize the betrothal. From this day forth, the couple will be committed to each other. Any act of disloyalty will be viewed as a sin. The betrothal is full and final."

This was it.

There's no turning back after this.

"_Betrothal is full and final."_

Could I really live with this?

Yes, I realized as I looked at Dimitri. I could. We might not have gotten off to the best start but I'd gotten to know him in the past few weeks. I'd trained with him, spent almost all my time with him…I understood him, in as much as anyone could understand Dimitri Belikov. More surprisingly, _he_ understood _me_ so well. He was like me in so many ways, especially when it came to our duties.

Yes, he'd hurt me but that had been my mistake as well. I'd hurt him too, I knew that. I'd hurt him by breaking my promise.

At the end of the day, I had to accept that I was quite lucky to be betrothed to Dimitri Belikov. My fate could have been a lot worse, a whole lot worse. Dimitri had accepted me, with my fiercely independent nature and reckless ways; he'd even confessed that he'd rather have me than all the other 'proper' princesses.

I knew I'd rather have him than anyone else. But that didn't mean I wasn't apprehensive.

But I had to do this.

"Princess Rose, King Dimitri; please exchange rings." The pandit told us.

Trying to smile, I stood up when Dimitri did.

Since it was his turn first, Dimitri turned to take the ring out of the box that Olena held open. He contemplated the ring for one silent moment before nodding to his mother who smiled and kissed his cheek.

Turning back to me, he smiled that endearing half smile of his before slowly extending his left hand towards me.

Ignoring the butterflies in my stomach, I placed my left hand on his, flinching slightly when electricity sparked at the contact.

Dimitri's half smile changed to a small smirk as though he was amused by my reaction to the contact. I tried to ignore the warmth spreading through my body as his long, calloused fingers held mine softly and delicately.

When he bowed his hand, a few strands of hat soft brown hair fell down to cover his face.

Vaguely, I wondered what people would say if I smoothed it back.

I felt the cool kiss of metal on my skin when Dimitri gently slid the engagement ring along my ring finger. The ring was beautiful with platinum band holding a round cut ruby in the center, flanked on either side by a leafy pattern of small diamonds.

It was befitting a queen, no doubt, but it was not obnoxious. I could wear it always, even while fighting.

Dimitri did know me well.

Looking up from my ring, I smiled at Dimitri appreciatively.

I could only hope that he liked his ring as well. It was also platinum which was the standard material for engagement bands in Russovia. Instead of the usual stones, I'd selected a large, square cut blue topaz for him. When the royal jeweler had painstakingly explained the significance of the precious stones, I'd known that the blue topaz would be the ideal choice for Dimitri.

I could only hope that he understood the meaning behind the stone.

Steeling myself, I stretched my left hand out to him.

He placed his right hand on mine, again making me reel with warmth and energy that seemed to flow between our hands.

Just before I slipped the ring onto his finger, I looked up to meet his eyes again.

His intense eyes were reassuring now, as if he knew what I was looking for at the moment. 'We'll figure this out,' they seem to say. 'We'll be fine…'

_I hope so too, comrade._

Slowly, I slid the ring onto his finger, releasing it quickly before the effect he had on me could be visible on my face.

I exhaled shakily. _It was done._

We're officially engaged.

Dimitri was well and truly my husband to be. My fiance.

Suddenly, a shower of rose petals fell on both of us from above and the guests started clapping happily.

Dimitri chuckled at the surprised look on my face, drawing my eyes to him. A single petal was tangled in his hair and a few rested on his shoulders too.

I glared at him halfheartedly for laughing. "Shut up, you."

He grinned at me, an innocent look in his eyes which made me smile again. He looked…he looked handsome as always, of course. But that innocent look made him look cute, if that word could be applied to a stoic man like him. A hint of cuteness mixed with that rugged handsomeness-

The pandit brought me back to earth by asking us to resume our seats.

Removing some rose petals from my dress, I sat down again.

"Now, I invite the Mazur and Belikov families to exchange gifts to strengthen the bonds between the two families."

My mother stood and gestured gracefully to Olena. On her command, a line of our maidservants emerged from the back of the hall- all of them carrying large gift boxes containing everything from packets of dry fruits, sweets, special fabric weaved only in Loha and a variety of jewelry. Olena stood as well and nodded to Viktoria who gestured for some of their servants to bring forward their gifts to us.

Olena personally exchanged gifts with Mom and Dad while Neal went over to Dimitri with his gift. Unfortunately, I didn't know what it was since Neal refused to tell me. I'd just have to ask Dimitri later.

As Eddie, Madhri and some of Dimitri's relatives approached each other with more gifts, Viktoria came to me with a large box that she was struggling to carry. By her side was a tall, slender, well-dressed woman with brown hair and the characteristic brown eyes that seemed to run in the Belikov family.

But I could see that this was not just a relative.

No, her face was eerily similar to Viktoria's with traces of Dimitri in them.

This had to be another one of his sisters.

I smiled when the woman met my eyes, her gaze searching and sharp. She smiled back reflexively but it was small and calculating.

Immediately, I was on the defensive. She looked like she was silently measuring my worth and I _hated_ it.

Deciding to ignore the woman for now, I turned to Viktoria as she unceremoniously dumped the gift box at my feet, wiping at her forehead theatrically. "This is for you."

I smirked at Viktoria. "Either you're gifting me rocks or you're too delicate for your own good."

Viktoria huffed and threw back her hair, golden highlights glittering. "I go to such lengths to give you a nice gift and you mock me? Where's the justice in that?"

I snorted. "Alright, drama queen. Thank you for the gift, whatever the hell it is. I honestly dread to open it."

"You'll enjoy it." Viktoria promised with a wink.

"I sincerely doubt that," I said, eyeing the box. Viktoria loved her little pranks and I wouldn't be surprised if the gift was one of them.

"You're right to be wary," the woman interjected with a mysterious smile.

I looked her in the eye. "Have you already formed an opinion about me or would you like some more time to assess my worth?"

Viktoria gasped but astonishingly, the woman let out a peal of laughter.

I'd realized how insulting the words sounded the minute they left my mouth, sure that she'd take offense. I was honestly surprised that she seemed amused rather than insulted.

How exceedingly puzzling.

"See?" Viktoria turned to the woman with a smirk. "Didn't I tell you that she's not like the others?"

"Is that good?" I asked, slightly guilty. I wouldn't usually care but she was Dimitri's sister.

Should have thought about that before I opened my mouth. Oh, well.

The woman smiled widely. "Oh, Rose! It's such a pleasure to meet you. I'm Sonya."

Sonya.

That explains it.

I grinned, almost at ease. "I don't know how you can say that with a straight face but I'll take it. It's nice to meet you, Sonya."

Dimitri had told me many things about his sisters, his voice particularly soft as he talked about them. I loved those moments, the way his eyes shone as he recounted tales of his childhood. He'd said that Sonya was like him; Karolina and Viktoria inheriting their mother's warm nature while Dimitri and Sonya shared their father's rather stoic personality. Sonya was more of a recluse than him, Dimitri had admitted.

I'd teased him about being an 'Ice prince' and he'd laughed, confessing that Sonya too was known by a similar title, partially thanks for her personality and partly because she was the queen consort of '_Tushara_ republic', a small country at the foothills of the Himalayas.

Sonya was known to be closed off and severe but Dimitri had said that her family was an exception. She was warm and kind with those she loved. From the way he spoke of her, I could see that Dimitri had a special bond with her.

I could see why. Now that she'd deemed me acceptable, her features relaxed to a genial, amused smile.

My insult must have won her over.

Huh.

As if reading my mind, Viktoria looked her sister speculatively: "I didn't know that insulting you was the way to your heart, Sona."

Sonya rolled her eyes.

Turning to me, Viktoria said, "You may be the first person outside her family to make her laugh, Rose. Keep up the good work."

"But she is family," Sonya said with an elbow to Viktoria's side. "She's our sister-in-law."

"To be," I added quickly, to the amusement of the sisters.

"I like you, Rose." Sonya admitted. "You really live up to your reputation."

"And yet, you like me?" I joked.

"I don't trust press reports," she gestured dismissively. "If they're to be believed, I'm the dreaded witch out to poison the world. Nor do I believe gossiping royal wives who have nothing better to do. No, my source is quite authentic."

Viktoria chuckled as I raised my eyebrows in question.

"_Somebody_ told me that you were, and I quote, 'bold and beautiful'." Sonya said slyly.

I dipped into a small curtsy. "That's me."

"I think I can guess who your source was," Viktoria told Sonya and the pair giggled.

Honestly, they _giggled._

This sophisticated, calculated, elegant young woman who called herself Sonya_ giggled._

So much for dignified.

First impressions were really the worst impressions, not the best.

My eyes strayed over to Dimitri who was in conversation with my father and one of my uncles. Catching my eye, he smiled slightly and inclined his head.

I titled my head towards Sonya and Viktoria who were laughing at yet another thinly veiled tease.

Seeing them, Dimitri's smile widened before my father distracted him.

Just as well.

"Please resume your seats," the pandit called, prompting everyone to return to their seats. "It's time to write the invitation."

As I moved to sit opposite Dimitri, the pandit looked up and smiled. "Princess, please sit down beside His Majesty."

I froze for a second, wondering if the pandit himself was joining in on all the teasing.

Dad grasped my elbow lightly and led me over to Dimitri, shooting us a wink when I sat down beside him, careful to maintain a respectful distance between us.

"My dear sweet sister." Neal's voice were smooth and sly, carrying over the now quiet hall. "You can sit close to Dimitri now. He's your _fiance_, after all."

The hall rang with uninhabited laughter. I flushed and avoided looking at Dimitri.

"What's the matter, Mitya?" Sonya asked with false concern. "You can move closer to the lady if she's too shy to."

"I think it's Mitya who's shy, Sona." Olena chimed, laughing merrily at our mortification.

"Our Rose has never been shy person, Olena." Mom said, adding to the mockery. "It's a strange but pleasing sight."

I glared at her as they all laughed again.

"Come on, Mitya!" Viktoria almost whined. "Scoot closer to your betrothed!"

"Come on, Rose!" I swear that had to be Mia.

"Don't act like strangers _now_," Eddie said, high-fiving Neal.

"Strangers?" Dad just had to add his two cents. "They're quite good friends, aren't they?"

"Oh yes," Adrian added unexpectedly. "_Friends._"

While I fought hard against the blush creeping up my neck and cheeks, Dimitri was rubbing his forehead lightly with a small, embarrassed smile.

A number of remarks were passed before the audience, as one, starting chanting "Scoot closer!" like some kind of war cry, led by our enthusiastic siblings.

As they grew louder and more insistent, Dimitri and I turned to each other at the same time.

Dimitri arched an eyebrow and I shrugged slightly, letting him know I was okay with it.

"Look at their little telepathy!" Viktoria said loudly.

"So cute!" Lissa crooned from beside Adrian. I spotted Christian and Sydney standing to the side, clapping with the others.

"Why are you hesitating now?" Neal called, though his voice was softer and meant only for us. "You certainly didn't hesitate during that dance yesterday."

I wear I'll murder Neal when this is over.

"Scoot closer! Scoot closer!" The crowd chanted happily.

Biting my lip, I peeked at Dimitri.

The corners of his mouth lifted slightly as he moved closer, sitting right next to me.

The crowd roared in delight.

I was pretty sure I'd have resembled a tomato if I were any less tan.

Our shoulders were almost touching now. I could hear his breathing when the hall quietened again as the pandit began to speak.

But I couldn't concentrate on him.

What I did concentrate on was Dimitri's clean scent, the warmth of his body scorching my shoulder, the awareness of his tiny movements; the heady sensation of being so close to him was messing with my brain.

Despite being engaged to him, I'd never even hugged him properly, training and stumbling aside.

What would it be like to be wrapped in his embrace?

No, this was not the time to wonder about my fiance.

God, _fiance…_

No, I had to listen to the pandit. It would be disastrous if anyone suspected that I was daydreaming…about my fiance.

When I did manage to rein in my thoughts, the pandit was saying: "-the study of stars and their movements. Accordingly, there are four auspicious dates available this year. There's one next week, one date nearly two months later, one after four months and one after seven. These four are the most suitable ones for the union of princess Rose and King Dimitri. Which one do you choose, Your Majesties?"

Dimitri and I sat silently as my parents and Olena discussed it. Finally, Dad turned to the pandit. "We'll take the one two months later. We need time to prepare."

The pandit nodded and wrote it down. Then, he stood up and announced: "On the 4th of October, under the sacred star of _Magha, _at the favorable time of 12.32 p.m, princess Rosemarie Samaira**(enchanting) **Vanya**(graciousness of God)** Mazur of Loha will be wedded to King Dimitri Atulya **(incomparable)** Belikov of Russovia."

The audience stood up and clapped, congratulating each other with smiles and hugs. While our families greeted each other, Dad approached me and Dimitri. "Come on, everybody wants to meet the two of you."

Much like the get-together party the previous night, Dimitri and I stood side by side, receiving guests upon guests. After greeting what seemed like the thousandth guest, I leaned over to Dimitri and whispered, "Can we please escape after lunch?"

I was mostly joking, which was why I was surprised when Dimitri smiled and said, "Sure. Why not?"

"What happened to the _comme il faut_ Dimitri Belikov?"

Dimitri simply shrugged, "He got engaged to you."

* * *

**AN:** **So, they're engaged. I know many of you want them to talk about their misunderstanding and they will. The next two chapters contain pure romitri fluff with the much awaited first kiss ;)**

**The meaning of the rings will be discussed in the next chapter. As for the full names of our couple, it's 'Rosemarie Samaira Vanya Mazur' and 'Dimitri Atulya Belikov.' I found the middle names after a _lot_ of searching and here are the meanings:**

**_Samaira_ \- Enchanting**

**_Vanya_ \- Graciousness of God**

**_Atulya_ \- Sanskrit word for 'incomparable'**

**You know what else I found in my research? The similarities between Russian and Sanskrit have always intrigued me and I found that the two languages indeed share a common root. An ancient link between Russia and India, I suppose :)**

**So, did you like the chapter? If you did, please leave a review. I could do with some encouragement :)**


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